A Dragon's Love
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: All children have heroes. And all heroes have falls from grace.
1. Destiny

Chapter 1: Destiny

For as long as he could remember, Laxus Dreyar had been his idol. He looked up to the S-Class mage. More than any other in the guild. He wanted to be just like him. It was hard not to admire him. He was just so…cool. From the way he was all nonchalant about things and how he'd heard that years ago, he'd even plotted a mutiny to overthrow his grandfather.

Laxus was the real deal. He was a serious mage. Even when he wasn't the strongest or the best, he still came out on top. It was how it was meant to be. He was the Thunder God and all others were just lucky to be around him.

It helped too, he would admit, that the man seemed to dote on him more than any of the other brats that ran around the guildhall. In the new generation that Fairy Tail was breeding, Laxus seemed to find fault in it all. Almost, anyhow.

Destiny was how he saw it. He was destined to be the next great mage of Fairy Tail and, well, it was only natural that Laxus would recognize that. Would one day take his place and, hopefully, insight just as much fear as he did.

From a young age, he could remember the interest Laxus took in him. The earliest memory of it he had was once, when he was five, and hanging up around the guild as his mother and aunt worked. He was sitting at one of the tables, enjoying some juice, when he was suddenly joined by the man.

Now, if there was any man that could intimidate a child, it was Laxus. Just from his size and demeanor alone. Add in the fact that he'd heard the man complain many times about how kids were just bringing the place down and that if they wanted to stay on top, they needed to get the brats the hell outta the hall, it was easy to see why the little boy just stared at him in shock.

Not that it was the first time they'd spoken. He could remember, thinking back hard on it, that though he couldn't place the times or conversations, they had to have had some sort of relationship then. He didn't remember being very fearful, at least. And the usually brooding man even spared a smile for him.

"Orion," he greeted as the boy just stared. "Ain't you gonna speak to me?"

He remembered nodding before mumbling a greeting that made the man snicker.

"You ain't scared of me, now, are you, kid?"

"No." He shook his head then, quickly. "I'm not."

And he wasn't. He was nervous, more than likely. The man was his hero, even back then, after all.

Laxus just leaned across the table, staring hard at him. "The Salamander's brat, I've seen 'im. Practicin' his father's magic. And Gajeel's brat, he's way older than ya, but he's practically a master at what he's learnin'. Some sorta rock magic shit. Real hard stuff, controlling the earth. You know that?"

He nodded some then. He'd seen the older boys practice before. They were really good! And so were some of the other children in the guild.

"Then I come in here and see you, Orion, just sittin' around, not learning anything. What gives?" When he shrugged, Laxus frowned. "I asked a question, brat. What gives?"

"I don't know any magic," he told the man slowly.

"Nobody does before it's taught to 'em!" He huffed then, rather hard. "What are you now? Huh? Five?"

"Yes." His age was pretty important to him, like it was most kids.

"The way I see it, the younger you learn, the better." Then Laxus reached across the table and tapped the white haired boy on the head. "So you need to pick one. And soon. Overtake the Salamander's brat first. He's what? A couple years older than you? That'd really shove it in Natsu's face." He snickered again, just from the thought, it seemed. "So you pick a damn magic, kid, and you pick soon. And then, when you're ready, you're gonna start kicking these others asses around here, yeah? You're gonna-"

"Laxus, what are you doing?"

He could remember then, his mother coming over, hands on her hips, glaring at the other S-Class mage.

"Mira," he'd groaned, glancing up at her. "I'm just talking to the kid, alright? I-"

"No," the waitress said as she came to stand behind her son, glaring over his head at the man. "You're cursing at my son. And you're going to knock it off."

"Mirajane-"

"Go, Laxus."

He just glanced back down at the kid then. Orion remembered that well because Laxus had that slight smirk of his that he only ever seemed to give the boy, before getting to his feet.

"Alright," he'd surrendered. "But I mean it, kid. You learn soon. You don't wanna get left behind."

After he'd disappeared off into the guildhall, Mirajane took to making sure that the boy was alright. She'd probably heard Laxus tone and thought that he was scolding the boy or something. But Orion only nodded a bunch and insisted that yes, he was fine. And he told her, as he always did, that Laxus was really cool and awesome.

"I know," she'd say whenever he told her that, before kissing his head. "He is, isn't he?"

Yeah. And even though Mira didn't want him to start learning magic so early, as she was insistent that he had no reason to and that Laxus was just being rude and overstepping his boundaries, it was all he could think about. He asked all sorts of people what kinda magic he should learn.

His Uncle Elf had many ideas.

"You should learn to be a takeover mage," he told him frequently growing up, even after he'd chosen his own magic. "You're a Strauss! It's what we do!"

But he just didn't feel drawn to that. He didn't wanna be a beast or animals and he definitely didn't want to be a demon (Mira assured him many times she'd never give him a chance to take a demon's soul anyhow).

It was Erza, actually, another one of the great wizards in the guild that he picked up his magic from. Sorta. She was babysitting him one day (sometimes, if the guild was just too busy, Mira would pawn him off on whichever one of her friends were leaving, which happened to be the reequip mage that day) and was showing off some of her weapons to the boy. He'd mentioned that he wanted to learn magic and, well, Erza couldn't help her humble bragging when it came to how proficient she was in hers. There was only one weapon she had though that really caught his interest.

"What does this do?" he'd asked as they stood on her front lawn, some of her different swords and such strewn across the grass. "Is it magic too?"

"Hmmm?" Erza, at that moment, was more interested in showing off one of her spears and just frowned down at what he was looking at. "Oh, yes. Well, the bow that you're looking at isn't, no, but the arrows that I use to accompany it occasionally have some magical abilities. It's not something that I use frequently. Look at this instead. The spearhead is so sharp that-"

"Can you teach me?"

"Hmmm?"

"How to shoot the arrows." He wasn't able to lift the massive bow she had on the ground, it was that heavy, but still just stared. "That's what I wanna do."

Erza had never had someone ask specifically for her to teach them anything, so of course she was all on board with that. Before they learned any magic though, she had to go out and get him a much smaller bow and work on his aim with him. And run it all by Mirajane who was still weary of him doing anything other than play with toys and color in his coloring books. She gave in though, of course, eventually, and Orion found much fun in it. Even without magic, he liked shooting at things. And Erza was a great teacher. He told her that a lot. He could tell it made her happy.

The older he got, however, he found that he still felt the need to honor his last name, the way that his uncle grumbled he should. But he didn't wanna learn anything about stupid souls or any of that junk that they were all into. It wouldn't help him any, after all, with his passion for archery. No. Instead, when he was about ten, he went to his mother, requesting that she show him what she knew about transformation magic.

Which, for the record, was a thousand times as hard as anything he'd ever done. It took years for him to get anything really useful out of it. But he stuck with it. He knew how valuable it would be out on a job, how practical. With his deep blue eyes and striking white hair, he was easily recognizable around the local towns as the she-devil's son. And he didn't want that. And with his transformation magic, eventually, he learned to be anyone he wanted to be (it also helped with hiding or sneaking into places).

And, he was glad to say, that Laxus told him once that his skills and choices were something to be proud of. Orion didn't know why, but that made him feel…warm inside. It was one thing when his family complimented him, but Laxus? Laxus Dreyar? The coldest person in the guild?

That was all he wanted back then, when he was a kid. For Laxus to respect him. It was so weird. What was Laxus to him, but some stupid guy in the guildhall that, fine, was powerful, and yeah, they were all sure he'd be their guild master someday, but so what? He wasn't anything to him. Just a man.

But he was the man. And he couldn't explain it to the other boys who asked sometimes why he even bothered with the jerk (that's what Gajeel's son, Radic, called him a lot, though that had more to do with the fact that the older slayer didn't seem to get along with his father much). There was nothing to explain. He respected the loner persona, the way he got the Thunder Legion (which included his Aunt Ever) to bow to him, and the fact that he was one of the strongest men around. He was just so…cool. And if the others didn't see it, fine, that was on them. But Orion saw it. That was all that mattered.

It wasn't like he liked the other kids much anyhow. He almost always liked going off on his own to practice his magic. It was better that way. He was, after all, shooting live arrows, some that were enchanted with spells that, if they came in contact with the other children, could do some damage. His favorite were these arrows that he had infused with lightning. They even looked electric, when they left his bow, like a bolt heading straight for its target. He purposely would shoot them off around the grounds sometimes, if Laxus was near, to show it off. The man never said anything about it, not to his face, but once he heard him mentioning to his mother about how skilled he was with them.

There was nothing more that he wanted than to be as powerful as the Dragon Slayer. And while he knew that innately, slayers were just all around stronger than normal mages, he vowed to make up for it in brute strength. He had his Uncle Elf train him physically and, his Aunt Ever's friend, Bickslow, he taught him all sorts of other workouts. Fun ones. He knew all these cool acrobatic tricks and told him that they would help him with his archery.

"You shoot off your arrows just out in the open and someone'll take you out real quick," he'd insist. "So you use all these cool little tricks I teach ya to find places to hide, yeah? And to get away fast. You-"

"I don't need to hide," he'd tell him a lot before shooting off an arrow at a tree or something, depending on where they were training. "They can see me. Won't matter. My arrows'll strike 'em down before they have a chance to do anything to me."

"You got some courage there, kid," the seith would always say. "I mean, it's stupid too and gonna get you seriously hurt one day, but hey, not all bravery is a good thing."

He didn't care what anyone said. Laxus didn't hide away and shoot off strikes of lightning from afar. Oh, no. He came right out and attacked. Because, at the risk of sounding like he spent too much time with his uncle, he was a man, Laxus was. Really, he was. And that's what Orion would be too.

The second he was old enough and got the go ahead from his mother to start taking jobs, he did. He'd always kinda tagged along with Elfman and Lisanna, since he was rather young, but it was a big milestone, going out on one all by himself. But he wasn't afraid. His bows could pierce the roughest of hide.

Laxus was out on one of his usual self-exploration/S-Class mission sabbaticals of sorts when he first left on his job. And he still wasn't back when he took his second. Or his third. He had taken ten all by himself and completed them on his own when Laxus finally got back. He remembered that day because he was actually in the bathhouse, bathing, when the man entered.

It startled him, as the guild hadn't really opened yet. He'd come in with his mother while she was opening and was avoiding helping her by claiming his muscles were tired and he needed to take a soak. He knew too that the hall wouldn't be officially opened for another hour or so, which made him wonder what Laxus was doing there so early.

"What are you lookin' at? Huh?" Laxus grumbled when he joined him in the huge tub. "It's rude, looking at other men while they're all undressed or whatever. Less you want someone to think you're queer."

"I was just… I didn't know you were back from your job already," he said slowly, looking off.

"What's it to you? And what are you doin' in here anyhow? Just 'cause you wear a mark don't mean you're some sorta member. You ain't taken a job. They just let this place go to shit. Let you damn kids do whatever you-"

"I have taken a job!" He was rare to raise his voice, especially to someone he held in such esteem, but like most boys his age, the last thing he liked was to be treated like a child. "I've taken ten. And tomorrow, I'll take another one."

That made Laxus quiet. Then, from across the tub, Orion heard him grunt.

"All by yourself? Not with your stupid aunt or uncle? 'cause those don't count. Those-"

"Yes," he said, finding his tone going back to normal then. "Alone. All by myself. Not even with any of the other kids."

Then, even though the man had just gone on about how, apparently, looking at one another was awkward, he looked over the boy and grinned real big. That one that he only ever seemed to share with the kid.

"No kidding?"

He shook his head.

"Mom didn't want me to, but-"

"You got mage blood running through you," Laxus told him then, rather harshly. "A real mage. An S-Class. She's foolish to think that she can put a stop to you doing anything."

"Well, I mean, she's technically an S-Class," he told the man slowly then. "But, I mean, it's not like she's you or anything."

"Huh?"

"You said that I had S-Class blood," the boy explained. "But my mom's not really an S-Class wizard. Not like I'mma be. She only uses her magic when she has to. I don't even think she really likes it that much, truthfully. Not anymore. But when I'm S-Class? The rest of you better watch out. I'm gonna take all the jobs. All on my own. And SS-Class too."

Laxus just narrowed his eyes then, for a moment before shaking his head. "You dream big, kid."

"I don't _dream_ ," he told him then, staring down at the water. If he stayed in much longer, his mother would complain. He really should help her open. "I…I just know. I'm gonna be one soon too, so watch out."

"Those are one trials," he sighed as he sunk lower in the water, "that I'll be sure to be a part of. You wanna be S-Class, kid? Great. So does everyone else. Have fun proving yourself."

"You already said it," he told him then. "I have S-Class in my blood. My mother's the she-demon. And my uncle, he's good enough too. And Erza trained me. Another S-Class. I have this. I'm gonna do it. Before Radic or any of 'em. It's my destiny."

That annoyed Laxus for some reason. When he looked back at the boy again, it was with a glare.

"Destiny?" He snorted. "And it was my destiny to get this damn guild already. See where that landed me?"

"But you will get the guild." He couldn't help it then, as he let his inner feelings out. Locking eyes with the man as he glanced over at him, he said, "You're the best mage we have. And you-"

"When I get it, kid, it won't be because of destiny. It won't be because of who my grandfather is. It'll be because I fucking earned it. The universe didn't drop it in my lap. And no damn god rewarded it to me. I put in the sweat and blood and made it mine. You wanna be S-Class? I don't give a damn how much of your mother's blood you got running through you. When you go for it, if you get it, it's gonna be off your hard work. Your dedication. And don't you ever fucking forget that." Then he added, "You're special, fine. You got good blood. You got a damn good mother. But that means nothing, Orion, at the end of the day if you don't do anything with it. I got a lacrima in me, it makes me a Dragon Slayer, but I wouldn't be anything without all the work I put into becoming one of the best damn ones around. So you keep working with those bows, kids. And you learn to transform into every fucking thing under the sun. And then one day, it won't matter who your mother was. It'll matter what you did with what you got. Understand?"

He could only stare though and, eventually nod. Then, sneering, Laxus shut his eyes.

"Good. Now get the hell out. I wanna relax. Can't do that with you in here. You damn brats, always around when no one wants ya."

Orion scurried out off the bathing area then too, out of the actual guild, really, calling out to his mother before he left that he was going to train some before Erza showed up at the hall. Then he'd practice with her some too.

Mira didn't think much of it though, and only reminded him that she was working all day and to come back by the guild for dinner, if he wanted. Not that she was expecting him to. He was so cute, now that he was making his own jewels, he wouldn't come to her for meals. He'd buy his own stuff. Elfman only told her that was because he was super manly, but she thought it was because he was a cute little boy trying to prove he was a man.

To her brother, she was sure they were the same thing.

She was busy restocking when she heard someone else coming from the hallway. Not even turning to look at him, she said simply, "You know, it's kinda rude to come in before I've finished prepping for the day."

"Just got in and needed a bath," he told her simply as he went to look over the request board, apparently already heading out on another job. She had been in the back when he came in, but he didn't glance over at her. He didn't need to. She always looked the same. "The kid disappear?"

"Off to train," she said simply, still with her back turned to the bar as she looked over the liquor. "I assume you have something to do with that?"

"I didn't do anything. Why would I?"

Instead of answering, she said simply, "He's going out on jobs now."

"He told me. He's also got a staring problem, but-"

"What did he tell you?"

"What do you mean? He just told me that he's taking jobs. What else is there to tell me?" He was pulling down a job then before turning to head over to the bar. "I'm taking this one."

Turning, she glanced down at it before back up at him. "Do you think it'll take you long?"

"It's never the jobs that take me long," he grumbled. "Just don't feel the need to come back if I find something more fun to do along the way."

"Well, maybe you're more needed here," she said slowly.

"The boy's fine. He-"

"I know he is." She just stared into his eyes. "I'm not concerned about him. But Master-"

"Gramps is like an old dog, demon," he said before turning his back on her to head off. "He heals himself. And he don't ever die. He eventually gets so old that you just gotta put him down."

"Right. Because that's gone so well all the other times you've tried it."

He didn't even glance back at her. "The kid told me he's gonna be an S-Class, Mira."

"Did he?" she asked. "Not shocking, considering all of the little boys in the guild say the same thing. And the old men. Not to mention the girls and the women-"

"He's got it in his blood." He was over at the doors then. "And he's got it in his heart."

"Yeah, he does," she whispered then, just staring at his back. "Dragon?"

He stopped there, at the door, if only for a moment. "Hmmm?"

"Talk to him when you get back." Then, to clarify, she said, "Your grandfather. Please."

He just opened the doors and headed out. "I'll be back, demon. Keep the place safe while I'm gone, yeah?"

She always did.

* * *

 **Normal five chapter minimum, ten max, fifteen if we have to (we won't have to). Debated with just making this into a long one-shot, but with all the stuff I want included, it'd just be too long.**

 **Hopefully gonna get the next chapter of Mohawks and Manliness out today, but we'll see.**


	2. Protector

Chapter 2: Protector

For as long as he could remember, it'd always just been him and his mom. Oh, and his Aunt Lisanna, who lived with them for a few years there. But mostly just him and Mirajane.

Not that it meant anything to him. Not at first. When he was younger, he didn't pay it any mind. How could he know that he was missing something if, as far as he knew, he never had it?

The older he got though, of course, he began to take notice that something was missing. And when he realized it, there was nothing more that bothered him everyday than that. He must have annoyed Mira with it constantly.

"How come they got fathers?"

Or,

"Where's mine?"

And his favorite,

"Now am I old enough to tell?"

Mira usually had the same answer to any of the incarnations of those questions he could come up with.

"We'll talk about it when you're older." And she'd usually pat him on the head too, which was just annoying. Especially because he only kept getting older. But the answer never changed. Not once. How old was he supposed to be, anyhow?

Sometimes though, it was less curiosity that bothered him and more how lonely he felt. It hurt a lot, sometimes, watching Natsu get to play with his kids or listen to Radic brag about how he and his father had spent the whole day training. Whenever he mentioned that to Mira though, she'd only tell him that he didn't need a father to play with. He had his uncle, after all.

As great as Elfman was though, that just didn't fill the hole. At all.

He pictured the guy at least a thousand times. Depending on how he was feeling that day though, the picture changed. Sometimes he was a very handsome young man with tons of muscles and that was a great mage too. Those were the times that he felt like he was missing out. He'd decide then that the man probably went out on a job and gotten killed or something. Maybe just never returned. He could even be waiting for Orion to come get him.

Maybe.

Other times he was a jerk with beady eyes and an evil stare that left his mother all alone and never even cared. Those times were when Orion was angry with him, for leaving him all alone and never even coming back for him. He decided when he felt that way that he was better off without the guy.

Mirajane only really ever told him one thing about the guy.

"He always watches over you," she'd say whenever he got too whiny about the man's whereabouts. "That's all that matters."

Which led him at times to believe that he was dead. There was just something in the way that she said it though that didn't seem like it. And if he was dead, why couldn't she just tell him that later? When he got older? Why the big secret?

He'd asked everyone in the guildhall before to tell him, but he never got a real answer. Everyone loved Mirajane and there was no way they were going to defy her. He was more or less stuck.

There were very few times though that it hit him as hard as once, when he was nearly nine, and Radic was being a complete asshole about it.

The older boy was rather sadistic in most ways. None of the other kids ever seemed to like him much. He mostly used the fact that he was older than all of them to his advantage and would fight them mercilessly, never letting them surrender or, for that matter, actually agree to the fight. He liked bash their heads into the ground and, even a few times, had broken their bones.

But all of his abuse wasn't physical. He seemed to rather like making the younger kids cry any way that he could. And, as it turned out, that day he found the fact that Orion was fatherless to be the best plan of attack.

Orion couldn't remember exactly what was said, but whatever it was must have been pretty cruel. Not that that was shocking. Usually, in an attempt to appease him, the other kids would join in with Radic whenever he went on one of his tirades, if only to save themselves.

He was never one to cry much. His Uncle Elf always told him it was unmanly (though he himself did it quite frequently) and he tried his hardest to follow through. So when he came to Mira one day, in tears, rushing around the bar to bury his head in her dress, she knew something was wrong. And, since she wasn't the only one working that day, she was able to take her break and go calm him down.

"What's wrong?" She'd asked as she took him to one of the backrooms to talk. It was a storage room and his cries echoed somewhat. "Orion? Just tell me. Are you hurt?"

No. He even shook his head as, slowly, she got down onto the cold ground, even at the risk of ruining her dress, just so he could climb into her lap. He was staring to get too big for that though.

He just buried his head in her chest though, trying hard to swallow his cries as she took to stroking his head. When he finally calmed down enough, he told her about how Radic had shoved him down on the ground outside and held his face to the dirt, which, really, wasn't that unusual for the older boy. But when he refused to surrender or admit defeat, the older boy dug his knee into his back and began to taunt him about different things. The one that he found to be the most effective was the boy's lack of a father.

It'd never really occurred to Radic that that could be used as ammunition against the Strauss boy. He never thought much about it. The two of them weren't friends and, usually, the other child was around one of the adults. Recently, a lot of times he was training with Erza, which was obviously not someone he wanted to mess with.

Radic had leaned down too, to hiss in his ear about how much of a loser he was, that even his old man hadn't stuck around. That even as a baby he'd been able to see what a worthless little runt he was. And he made the other kids that they had been playing with join in. Tell him what a disappointment he was. How weak he was. And how even if his father ever did come back, he wouldn't stick around long, when he saw what a sissy he had for a son.

Mira only listened as he sobbed though, gently stroking his head. When finished, she even kissed his head.

"Why do you care what Radic says?" she asked. "I've told you before that there's something wrong with him. He's not nice and you shouldn't play with him."

He hadn't meant to. He was out at the park, playing by himself, and just sorta ran into the other kids. He didn't know that he would become the victim for the day.

"I'll talk to his mother," Mira said then. "And-"

"No." That was worse than not having a father and crying in front of the other boys all rolled into one. Lifting his head, he stared up at her with his eyes full of tears. "You can't."

"Ori, I have to. He-"

"No. Promise."

"You-"

"Promise."

With a sigh, Mirajane said, "Fine. I won't. But I should. He had no business saying that to you."

He only cuddled closer to her again. "If you told me though, who my dad is, then I could-"

"When you're older."

"That's not fair!"

"Ori-"

"It's not. All of the other boys, they get to go train with their dads. Natsu and Gajeel play with their kids. Why don't I get my father? It's not fair! I want a dad too!"

"Shhh." She went back to just stroking his head. "What have we said about that?"

"I-"

"That you don't need a father to be there all the time. You have me and your uncle and-"

"I want one."

"I know. And one day it'll make sense, I promise, but for now, it doesn't matter. You know that he's always watching over you. Don't you?"

He only sniffled. "You say that, but-"

"And it's true. And he's so proud of you. I promise."

"How do you know? If you don't even talk to him?"

But she didn't answer that and, eventually, had to get back to work. Not before she made sure he was fine again though. And he was. Or at least he was finished crying. Radic had embarrassed him pretty deeply though and he had to pay for that.

It didn't take long for Orion to get his revenge, anyhow. Just a few days. All he needed was his bows and a very naïve Erza. She usually didn't let him train with magic arrows and would only let him use them under her supervision, but he was able to get a few out of her, to use while she was away on her job, he explained.

And use them, he did.

First though, he had to track the other kids on one of their own little training sessions. Sometimes Radic liked to go out with one or two of the other kids into the woods to 'practice' (beat the crap outta them where no one could hear their screams).

He followed along above, in the trees, all the way to a clearing. And when the three kids down below came to a stop, Orion got one of his arrows ready.

He hit Radic square in the shoulder. It didn't pierce his flesh much, as it wasn't meant to, but rather nicked him some before falling off, onto the ground. Just glancing up at the trees, all the other kids saw exactly who it was.

"You little coward," Radic had called up to him, almost immediately. "Your damn arrow didn't even hurt me! It-"

And he stopped talking too, just like that, as suddenly, all his muscles seemed to give out. Much to the shock to he other children, he hit the ground. Up above, Orion only grinned.

"What did you do?" the pink hair boy that was down there in the clearing called up to him. "Orion?"

He just jumped out of the tree then as the other kid, Gray's daughter, Jules, was the other one there with them and she just went to go kick Radic's shoulder.

"Is he dead?" she asked, staring at Orion in fear, if not some form of excitement. He just shook his head.

"Passed out." He went to retrieve the arrow and return it to the quiver strung on his back. "And you will be too if you don't help me."

They had to hurry. The effect wouldn't last long (Orion had to infuse it the spell into the arrowhead himself and, well, his magic abilities weren't that great just yet), so they only had a minute or two. When Radic awoke, he found himself tied to a tree and unable to get out.

"Hey," he growled almost immediately, his eyes focusing first on Jules and then the pink haired boy, both of who were just staring. "What the hell do you think-"

"My father is not something that will ever come out of your mouth again."

He focused then, across the clearing, at where Orion stood, bow in hand, one of his arrows poised to hit its mark, tied to the tree. Radic just widened his eyes.

"What are you doing?" he growled. "You little-"

"I just learned a new spell. You wanna see it? It's _real_ cool." Orion's voice was cold then. "See the arrow head? How shiny it is? I've infused it with lightning. Just like Laxus. You know, the jerk? Wonder what it'll feel like when it pierces your skin?"

"I don't know what your problem is," Radic said then, his tone losing some of its gruff undertones. "But knock it off. What have I ever done to you?"

"My arms getting tired," Orion said then before, to the other two children's amazement, he actually released the arrow. It hit right above Radi's shoulder.

"Hey!" the older boy growled. "What are you-"

"Did you like it? The light that came off it? Looks even cooler at night." Orion moved to grab another arrow. "This one's not infused with anything, but I can think of a few places you would not want it to hit. Can't you?"

"Let me go, you little-"

He released it, the arrow coming to rest above the boy's head.

"Erza and I practice every day," he went on, grabbing another arrow. "She says that I have such good aim, it's almost like I was born with it. How do you think, Radic, that your dad will like you without an eye?"

That one hit the tree too, but it was at the right side of Radic's head. The boy wasn't even talking any more. Not fighting his bonds.

"Your not gonna bother me anymore," Orion said as he steadied his next arrow. "Are you, Radic? Because if you are, I'mma have to go ahead and make it hard on you. Don't you think it would be? With only one eye? Or ooh, how about none?"

"I won't talk about your dad anymore, you stupid freak! Now let me go!"

First he came closer, to retrieve his arrows. And stare the other boy down.

"I wonder what Gajeel will say," he said as he pulled them from the tree. He wouldn't be using them again, but he wanted a chance to look Radic in the eyes. "When he hears that you gave up. To me. And none of your friends came to your rescue."

"You can't tell him."

"Why not? You told everyone that I cried and that I-"

"You just can't."

"Maybe." He was finished then. "Or maybe I will. Or maybe when you say something about my father again, I'll-"

"I said I won't! Now let me go!"

"No way." He was walking off then. "Jules can. You could stay here and rot for all I care."

He knew too that he was playing with fire. And honestly, he was just glad that Radic was so stupid. If the boy had any intelligence, he'd have realized that, though he was bound, it would have been easy to have a rock come up and knock Orion in the head. But that was the problem with all the kids of the slayers; they were too damn stupid. Their fathers had filled their head with nonsense about how strong they were and it'd made their minds weak.

The last thing Orion had was a weak mind. He knew that he had a hold over Radic then and, also, a pretty good pick off technique. If ever the other boy started up on him again and threatening to tell the others of what had transpired didn't work, he'd just repeat the events. Maybe have a longer sleep effect in an arrow and drag the boy off to some part of the forest, bind him up, and leave him. That sounded like a real good plan of attack.

Even though he was pretty much over the whole thing then, as he'd extracted his revenge and established some form of dominance all in one fell swoop, Mirajane didn't know about it. He couldn't tell her, after all, as she'd see it as him misbehaving. So she still thought he was hurt by what Radic did and, though she was a great mom, sometimes she was really stupid. Or at least she made stupid mistakes.

He could remember too, it being the most embarrassing thing she'd ever done. Or at least he felt that way. Not that it was impossible for him to see where she was going with the whole thing. She knew that he admired Laxus and, as she and him had always been friends, decided to use it to her advantage.

Or at least that's what he thought.

"Hey, Laxus," Mirajane greeted as, one day, thanks to the packed hall, he got stuck drinking his beer up at the bar. Orion was up there too, going over a spell book, trying to read up on some new ones. Erza always wanted him to be learning new things, as his arrows' powers would become limitless if he did so. Mostly though the boy was just trying to get noticed by his idol, but the man seemed mostly focused on his beer and nothing else.

"Hmmm?"

"How was your job?" Mira was standing in front of the two of them with a smile. Orion hardly even glanced up. Laxus didn't seem to have a lotta friends in the guild outside of the Thunder God Tribe, but the she-demon had always been kind to him. She was kind to everyone, really. Orion never once thought she would do what she did.

"Fine," he grumbled. "Why?"

"I was just wondering."

Grunt.

"Aren't you going to ask me about how I was doing while you were gone?"

That made Laxus stop, if only for a moment.

"Something happen?" he asked. "Mirajane?"

"Not with me, really," she said slowly. "But you know Gajeel's son?"

That made Orion glance up. Laxus only shrugged though.

"Enough," he replied. "The annoying little ass tried to attack me once."

She nodded slightly. "Well, he was teasing Orion about how he didn't have a father and-"

"What are you doing?" The boy in question had never felt his face heat up that badly. "Stop it! Why are you-"

"I'm just telling Laxus about how-"

"No! Shut up! You-"

"Hey." The man glanced down at the boy then. "You think it's alright, huh? To talk to your mother that way?"

"I was just-"

"You're lucky to have a damn mother." Laxus glanced back at Mirajane then. "Refill my beer."

As she scurried off to do so, the man glanced down at the boy again, who was still red in the face and, honestly, more embarrassed that Laxus had reprimanded him than anything.

Why had his mom done that? The last person he ever wanted to look like a crybaby to was Laxus.

"Why'd you let that little shit get you, boy?"

He only glanced up at the slayer speaking. "I didn't. He-"

"You gonna lie to me now?"

"N-No. I was just-"

"What do you need a father for? Huh?" Laxus' eyes were heavy as they bore down on the child. "I had one and it didn't do shit for me. You got more in your mother than most people do with even two parents. So stop worrying about it. And next time Gajeel's kid bothers you-"

"I already took care of it."

"Did you?"

He was able to meet the man's eyes then. "Yeah. I did."

"Good." Then he gave him one of those grins and reached down to pat him on the head. "Having a father would have just ruined you. Trust me, huh?"

And then, even though Mira wasn't back yet, the man got to his feet and threw a wad of jewels down on the bar top.

"Tell your mother I had to run," he said simply. "Last thing I wanna do is actually listen about how her week was."

After the man was gone, he did give his mother the cold-shoulder for a bit. Sure, he'd gotten that nice conversation with Laxus in return, but the risk had been too much.

"I'm sorry," Mira told him later that night at home when he was still refusing to talk to her. "Honest. I just thought that Laxus could-"

"Why?" That was the first word he'd spoken to her in hours and, honestly, Mira didn't know what to say for a moment. They were in the kitchen at home, her making dinner and him waiting on it. "You embarrassed me! You know how much I like Laxus and you almost ruined everything. Just because you were in my business again."

"Laxus and I are friends," Mira told him as she glanced over at the table from the stove. "I've told him before about how you-"

"Well don't. You're gonna ruin it."

"Ruin what?"

He couldn't put it into words, not really, but basically that weird feeling he got from Laxus. Like the man was impressed with him. Like he didn't think of him how he did the other kids. That he really thought that he was special.

"Just it," he told her with a frown. "Don't talk about me to Laxus. Don't talk to him at all!"

"Now you're just being silly."

He didn't care. Though he knew that his mother meant well in all the things she did, she also had a tendency of screwing things up. She was really nice and caring and sweet, but she wasn't the best at plotting things out. He couldn't risk her messing up what he had with Laxus. No way.

It never rightly seemed to add up to him, either, when he was a kid, but looking back on it, there was only one explanation to what happened that next week. Radic hadn't been bothering him, not since he'd gotten his little revenge, but he'd glared heavily at him a few times. He could feel the other child's stares every time he was in the guildhall.

But that all changed rather suddenly when, a week later, the boy and his father showed up to the guild hall both in rather sour moods, the later starting to drink early that day and well into the night. Their Exceed that hung around them, Pantherlily, would snicker sometimes at Gajeel's grumbling, but Radic was rather quiet the whole day. Every single time Orion passed his table (after first noticing it, he did it a few times for trial), he would wince a little and advert his eyes.

Though Gajeel was out of his funk the next day, it was that way with Radic for a year, at least. He wouldn't even come into the same room as Orion if he could help it. He flat out avoided him. Eventually, whatever was wrong faded from the boy's mind, of course, just like that threat of telling his father, and the demented boy went back to bothering Orion randomly, like he did all the children, but it was never about his father again. Never. And though he'd have liked to attribute it to that time he shot arrows at him, something just told Orion that that wasn't right. But nothing else could have happened. Not that he knew of back then. It didn't make any sense.

To him at least. From that first day, Mirajane, though not the most perceptive person in the world, knew exactly what had happened.

"You did not-"

"Why didn't I?"

"Laxus-"

He just leaned against the bar, watching her with a slight grin. It was near closing by that point and the whole day, as Mira was serving Black Steel his beer, she could tell something was wrong. Which wouldn't have been odd, had she not noticed that something was wrong with Radic too. It was actually Lily, who, when he said something about Laxus not being around, got a swift growl from Gajeel, that tipped Mirajane off the most.

"Gajeel knows that the boy's under my protection," the other slayer said with a slight shrug. She had been closing up when he came in and the only person that seemed to be around was the drunken Cana, who was snoozing over in the corner. "It was time that his son realized it too."

"You didn't hurt that boy."

"Of course not, demon," he grumbled as she, slowly, went back to counting the money for the night. "Just roughed up stupid Gajeel a little. The idiot don't know when to give. Whatever he did to his son is his business. Not mine."

"I don't think he hit him," Mirajane said slowly. "But what could he have told him? I mean-"

"Don't know, don't care. Just to leave Orion alone and that's all that matters."

"You're too old to be picking fights with the other guys in the guild. Honestly, you-"

"Shut up, woman." He was still just watching her. "Where is the boy anyways?"

"With Elfman. He and Ever are taking him out of town tomorrow, so he spent the night at their house."

Grunt. Then, "You should have just tell the boy his father's dead."

"I'm not lying to him."

"Why not? You're not telling him the truth either. What difference does it make? It'll make him stop asking. Don't you want him to stop asking?"

"I honestly don't care if he does. Do you?"

He narrowed his eyes at her then before saying, "No. I don't. But he ain't comin' to me, botherin' me about it. He's comin' to you."

"And I'm dealing with it. I just tell him the same thing. Eventually he'll get tired of asking."

"Or eventually he'll find someone new to ask."

That made her look up then, glaring right back.

"What do you want from me, Laxus?" she asked then with a frown. "I did everything you asked. He doesn't know anything. What more do you want?"

He just pushed away from the bar then before saying, "You need anything, demon?"

This annoyed her and, with a snort, Mirajane went back to counting the jewels. "If you're asking if I got your tip from the other day, yeah, I did. It's not all about money, Laxus. I've told you that a thousand times. Just throwing money at him isn't-"

"It's keeping him fed and housed, ain't it?" He was done with her for the day, apparently. "What more can a boy need?"

"I'm not even supposed to be talking to you."

"Eh?" That made him stop.

"He's afraid I'll say something to embarrass him," she told the slayer, grinning somewhat, finally. "And that you won't like him anymore."

"He thinks I like him?"

"Mmmhmm."

He grinned too then. "What else did he tell you?"

"Just that. I'm not allowed to talk to you about him." She giggled. "He's so afraid that you're going to think he's weak."

"He's not fucking weak." Then man's grin turned dark almost then. "He's a-"

"Strauss," Mira said then, before he could finish his sentence. "You made sure of that, remember?"

He could hear it in her tone then and, grin turning fully then, he glared at her before turning to walk off.

"Whatever, demon. The boy won't be bothered anymore. Just came by to make sure you got my jewels. That's all."

That wasn't all though. She knew he'd come to make sure that not only Gajeel's brat had gotten the message, but also that she had. That he'd listened. He was wanting her to tell him what a good guy he was. What a protector he was. How great he was.

But she wasn't going to do that. He didn't deserve it.

Mira only sighed though and went back to counting the money. Laxus was a lot of things, but worth her time, at that moment, he wasn't. Besides, she still had a bar to close down and a drunk Cana to get home.

Then again, what else was new?


	3. Maternal

Chapter 3: Maternal

It was probably hardest at night, those first few months. Mirajane had thought that dealing with her pregnancy and all the questions from the others had been bad, but laying there, night after night, tending to her newborn, things just felt so…bleak. Not fun like she'd always pictured having a child would be. And even with her siblings and her friends dropping by, she just felt alone.

After about a month, she got more used to it. Or, maybe, it was more like Orion got a little bit better about sleeping more and crying less. Still, Mirajane missed the guildhall and working, but what could she do?

Laxus showed up around that time too, popping back into town after weeks away on a job. The first place he went was the Strauss house. When he'd left he knew that he wouldn't be back before she gave birth. Probably not for some time after, either. He'd mentioned it to Mirajane before he left, but there wasn't much she could do.

Besides, what difference would it make? They'd both talked about it a thousand times and knew that there was no way they could have a future together. For a number of reasons. A big one back then though had been that, ultimately, he didn't want to be a father Though another one overshadowed it frequently in their talks, she knew that deep down, even without it, he wouldn't have been happy being a father. A dad. Why waste time on something you knew was a dud?

"What the hell are you doing here?"

That was how Mirajane found out he had returned. It was Lisanna, of course, that said that, and it was loud enough that she heard it all the way in the back of the house, where she was tending to Orion.

Though Mira had taken Laxus' absence in stride, her siblings were not. At all. Elfman was actually having problems with Evergreen over it, as that was her idol and there was not a kind word he had to say about the other man any longer. And Lisanna, well, she just flat out hated Laxus. With a passion.

Mira was quick to head out there too, to make sure that everything was okay. She knew, somehow she just did, that it was Laxus that had Lisanna all upset and figured it was best to solve the problem before they got into another argument.

"I'm here to see your sister," she heard Laxus reply. "And the kid."

"Like I'd let that happen."

"I don't remember asking your permission, kid."

"You better just leave, Laxus, or Elfman-"

"He ain't here. And you know it. So stop-"

"Lisanna, let him in," Mira called as she came into the living room to find them having a glaring match at the front door. "Now."

"I'm handling it, sis," she said, not even glancing back at the older woman. "He-"

"There's nothing to handle."

"Yeah, kid," Laxus grumbled, as with one last glare, Lisanna took a step back, her arms finding their way over her chest in the process. "There ain't nothin' to handle."

Mirajane remembered it well too, when she saw him coming into the house. She hadn't seen him in what felt like forever and, for some reason, her stomach clinched and she didn't think she could do it. Life was easier when he wasn't around to constantly remind of her of what they couldn't have.

Laxus wasn't looking at her though. Just down at the baby she cradled in her arms. Coming over after he shut the door, he couldn't stop staring.

"How did…it go?" He was less confident then, she remembered, than he had been with Lisanna. And that was the first time he looked into her eyes in forever, when he asked her that. For a moment, she just stared back before glancing down at the baby in her arms.

"Fine," she whispered before turning to walk off. "Come on. I haven't eaten anything in hours. I think I'll make-"

"I'll make you something," he offered, rushing after her. "Demon."

"And why," Lisanna hissed as she took followed, "would you do that? Why are you even here? Leave, Laxus. No one wants you here."

"Lisanna," Mira chided over her shoulder. "Your upsetting Orion."

"No. _He_ is."

"Lisanna-"

"It's fine," he grumbled when they made it to the kitchen. "You make your sister something then, kid. I don't care."

"I'm not doing it because you told me to. I would have anyways."

"I don't care," he grumbled, sending her a glare. "At all."

"Then stop talking to me."

"You're the one-"

"Hush, guys," Mirajane intervened then, giving them both a look. "How are we ever going to be up at the guild together, if we can't even all-"

"We're not," Lisanna said. ""Laxus shouldn't be a part of the guild anymore."

"Excuse me?" He even snorted. "And where did you get that boneheaded-"

"You don't belong there. No one wants you there. No one likes you, because you're a stupid-"

"Last time I checked, kid, Mira laid down and made that baby too. So how about you shut up and let the adults talk? Huh?"

"You-"

"Lisanna, go take a shower," Mira said then, just staring at the man before her.

"What? Mira-"

"Go. You have a shift down at the guild this morning, remember?"

"But he's-"

"He's fine. And you're fine. But right now? Together? You're giving me a headache and you're disturbing Orion. So just go. We'll talk after Laxus leaves."

There was a glaring match then, between the Dragon Slayer and the demon's younger sister as the woman left the room, but once she was gone, he only turned his gaze back to Mirajane.

"What are you doing here, Laxus?" Mira remembered asking once they were alone. "I mean, honestly, why-"

"I came to check on you," he said then. They were standing with the kitchen table between them, but neither moved to take a seat. "I know it's early. Sorry. Did I wake you up?"

"I've been up all night," she said before nodding down at the, by that point, quiet baby in her arms. "I'm up every night."

"Right." He was nervous again, she could tell. "Ever said that you named him-"

"Why are you here? I mean, really? You could have asked someone how I was. You didn't have to come over here. You shouldn't come over here. How many times did we go over this when I first found out I was pregnant? We can't be around each other. Not like this. Or else we ended up back how we were. And-"

"We can't end up back how we are though," he reminded.

"Then leave. Why-"

"I just wanted to make sure everything was alright. That's all. That's not unusual. Even if I wasn't… You're still a guild member. Shouldn't I want to check up on you? Or something?"

With a sigh, Mirajane shook her head. "I can't be around you right now, Lax. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry. You just-"

"Please." She shook her head slightly. "I can't, Laxus."

He didn't wanna leave. She could tell. But he did. Before he left though, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet.

"What are you doing?"

He only counted out a nice sum of jewels before setting the bills on the table between them. Then he nudged them her way.

"It's half of what I made," he said simply. "On my job."

"Laxus-"

"He looks good, demon. And you know if you need anything, at all, I'll be around." Then he tapped the table gently. "You're in good hands though, with your sister, I figure. Maybe it'll get easier over time. I hope it is, at least. See you at the bar, when you get back."

After he walked off, she could remember just standing there for a bit as Orion drifted off in her arms. Then Lisanna came back into the kitchen, raving about how rude and ignorant it was of Laxus to think he could just pay her off. As if that was a solution to everything.

But Mira only went off to put the money away and lay Orion back down. Then she laid in bed and, try as she might, wasn't able to cry. Not even a little. She wasn't sad anymore. She wasn't disappointed.

Just tired. All the time.

Laxus didn't stop coming around either. Those first few months, he took jobs like crazy. Then, when he got back to Magnolia, he came straight to her place to divvy up the money. He got better, too, at picking the times when her siblings weren't around.

"His eyes are so blue," Laxus remarked once when he came by with the money. "You told me they might darken, but nope. He's gonna look just like you and your goofy brother and sister. Ain't ya, kid?"

The man patted the little boy on the head then as the child sat in his high chair, waiting for lunch. At the moment, Mirajane was over at stove, cooking her own and was not in the mood for the man's antics.

"I'm tired of you coming over here, Laxus," was all she said as she glanced over there at him. He was standing in front of the high chair, watching the boy. At her words though, he glanced over at her. "I really am."

"Yeah, well, I gotta bring you money," he told her. "The second you go back to work, I can just give it to you there, instead of coming all the way over here. When are you going back, anyhow?"

"I don't see what difference it makes to you, considering I don't want you bringing me money in the first place-"

"Because I miss you, demon," he told her simply. "I miss you being the one to serve me up at the bar. Hell, the only one who will is Kinana. Your stupid sister-"

"You wanted it this way," she reminded. "You-"

"Don't do this again. We've gone over-"

"Then stop coming over here, Laxus. Honestly, you-"

"I'm just bringing you money. I want…I want to take care of you. Of him. Even though I can't be-"

"You," she accused then, fully turning around to stare at him, "tried to send me away. Tried to get me to leave Fairy Tail. You-"

"I'm trying to protection you, woman. What do you get about that? Huh? I've told you why and I'm not going to argue over it again. It's real. And I'm saving you from it. I'm saving the kid from it. But you hate me for it?"

"I never said that you weren't right," she said then. "But admit it; that's not all there is to this. It's more than that. You don't want to be a father. You never have been. And I'm not making you. I don't want you to. I don't want Orion to ever feel like a burden. Because he's not. And he has me. He'll always have me. You're not needed. You didn't want to be, so now you're not. Why can't you just accept that? I don't hate you. I won't hate you. But you have to stop. Alright?"

He didn't like that. At all. And it probably was well past Orion's first birthday that the two of them spoke again. She'd pissed him off. But by that time she was working up at the bar again and, no doubt intent not to cause the same problem as before, Laxus found a new way to get her money.

"No one ever tips me that much," Lisanna complained once when they saw the wad of jewels Laxus left on one of the tables. "Literally ever."

"You know what's he doing," Mira told her with a look.

"You don't _have_ to take it, you know," her sister was quick to remind. "Not really."

But adding another person into their already tight income hadn't been easy. And those first few months were better with some of Laxus' jewels adding to the money flow. And, even if he didn't want to be a father, he ultimately was. And his son did need things. She didn't want to keep falling back on Elfman and Lisanna to help out. That wasn't fair.

And slowly, she almost came to rely on him to bring her jewels. It took a lot of the pressure off. Randomly she'd get annoyed with him though, if he brought too much, as she felt at times like he was trying to show her up, but they never fought over it again. Not so angrily.

Laxus never came by the house like that again though. He would if he had to, for the guild, but they'd drawn a boundary and he was sticking to it. The house was off-limits. Fine. And most contact with the boy was too. Whatever. He could observe from afar.

He did, too. Mira could see the change in posture he had when she'd bring Orion in with her, if she couldn't find a babysitter for the day. At the hall, she'd usually find at least one person that would want to play with the baby for awhile, usually Lucy or Laki, which gave her a chance to work and Laxus a chance to watch. He never bothered the kid when he was that young. It wasn't until later, when he was about three that Laxus had anything to do with him.

Mira could still remember, too, what it was that got Orion so interested in the man. Natsu had, once again, challenged Laxus to another battle and it just hadn't been a good week for the lightning mage. He'd failed a job by losing a wanted criminal while he was out tracking him and, well, Natsu became someone to take his aggression out on. It had been awhile since the two had battled and they did so outside (thankfully), though most everyone followed them outside to watch.

She didn't though, as she was actually working, and didn't realize that Elfman, who she'd left Orion with, had gone. Of course she should have known, considering he was so into violence as he considered it very manly, but what could she do? That night as she took Orion home, it was all he could talk about.

"Bam!" He kept punching his fists and giggling. "Laxus!"

"You've seen other people fight before, silly," Mirajane told him. Being in Fairy Tail, it was hard not to. "Why are you obsessed with this one?"

Because Laxus was cool. His arm had lightning shooting out of it when he punched. And that was way better than fire or ice or anything else. And he beat up Natsu! Natsu was the toughest person around. But Laxus took care of him. Because Laxus was awesome.

It'd be a lie to say that Mirajane didn't secretly love the boy's, well, love of Laxus. It also concerned her at times, but there wasn't much she could do to put a stop to it. Laxus was one of the guild's powerhouses and, well, most kids looked up to people like that. She could remember Natsu and Lisanna thinking oh so highly of Gildarts and Romeo had had practically them all to admire. If Orion had to pick someone, she was glad that it was his father.

And if he liked Laxus, he loved the man's grandfather. This had a lot to do, of course, with Mirajane's veneration and loyalty to Master Makarov, but it was very obvious that though he didn't go against the boy's parent's wishes, Makarov favored him extremely. Orion spent much his free time as a child with the old man. He was the one that taught him to read, how to play that nifty bingo game at the Sakura Festival, and even how to spit a real big loogie.

He was devastated when he got sick.

Not that no one was expecting it, because they were. His health had been ailing for awhile and, well, it was just a given that eventually he'd pass on. And though Orion hated the idea of being without the old man, it did lead to one great thing.

"Laxus is gonna be the greatest master ever," he told his mother the day it was announced. He sure was glad he hadn't been out on a job or something and missed it. Even though he was super busy with all the other members and stuff, when he went to shake the man's hand and tell him that he was glad to have him as a master, Laxus just grinned at him and gave him a super powerful hand shake back.

It was probably the best day of his short twelve years of life.

"It's gonna be me now, kid, that calls on you to be an S-Class. If you're ever ready, I mean," Laxus had said and, even though it was noisy in the hall, Orion was so focused in on him that he heard every word. "So you be showing off, alright? I'm watching you. I'm always watching."

"Yes, sir," he said, his voice coming out in almost a whisper. And when Laxus let go of his hand, he didn't know what to do. He'd more or less reached the pinnacle at that point. More or less. "Thank you."

He didn't stop talking about that for days. Even Erza, who he still spent time training with, eventually had to tell him to be quiet about it. And Elfman hated hearing about it. Though over the years he and Laxus had reached a shaky peace once more, the muscular man still didn't really like the idea of his nephew revering Laxus. At all. He also didn't understand it. Who would even be interested in Laxus, he figured, when they had unlimited access to him? He had way bigger muscles!

Orion must have spent hours telling Makarov all about it. The man, though very sick, was much the fighter and was living out his last days actually pretty comfortably. The guild hadn't been threatened in awhile and, even if it was, that sort of thing fell squarely on his grandson's shoulders then, leaving him plenty of free time. And Mirajane made Orion go over to the man's tiny house nearly every day that he wasn't out on a job, to bring him food or make sure that he was doing okay.

Not that he minded. He really did love the Master.

Other than the time spent with the man though, he was pretty busy with jobs, trying to take the most daring and risky, as if to prove himself to the new master even more. Mira mentioned a few times to him though that she sure missed having him around, but he just explained that she better get used to it; if he was going to be a mage, then he was going to be one just like Laxus.

"What do you mean?" she'd ask with a frown.

"When I become S-Class, I'm gonna go on the far off jobs," he'd tell her. "And hardly ever be home. I'm gonna see all of Fiore. And the rest of Earthland, if I can help it."

Though his mother never seemed to like those aspirations much, Erza sure did. She never really had any children of her own and, considering he was more or less her protégé, frequently she would pit him against her friends children. Especially Natsu's. She seemed to get a kick out of him and his arrows. And if he looked up to Laxus, she was definitely high on his list to. Just not _as_ high. Because Erza was great, but sometimes she could be a bit much.

And some of her training was a bit wacky.

"I still don't get," he'd complain frequently, "how me cleaning your house for you is helping me any."

It wasn't. He knew that it wasn't. She'd always have some sorta excuse up her sleeve though, about how it was teaching him discipline or something. And he didn't gripe much, considering the woman did give up much of her time just to train him. And sure, her and his mother were good friends, but she didn't have to do that.

Orion liked Erza. In her quirky, weird way, she was really endearing. And the older he got, the more he appreciated all the things she did for him. Along with everyone else. From his aunts and his uncle Elf, to Master Makarov and even Bickslow, that freak, they all had some standing and place in his life.

And if Erza took payments in the form of house cleanings and taunts of Natsu, then Bickslow took his pound of flesh in a totally different way. Whenever they'd schedule a time to meet up to practice some new acrobatic skills, the man always had one question.

"Your aunt gonna come around?" was it. "You know, to watch you or pick you up or whatever?"

Orion used to answer the same way.

"I'm not a little kid," he'd grumble to the man. "Why would Aunt Lisanna need to come pick me up?"

But she always did, which was odd to him when he was younger, before he caught on. She never came to check on him if he was Erza or Uncle Elf, but if he was out somewhere with Bickslow, she always managed to find them.

It was so awkward too, watching them do that weird thing where adults don't really flirt, but they obviously are meaning to. And the seith would be showing off, whenever she was around, which meant that Orion really got nothing out of training and usually would just give up learning whatever new trick it was and just take to practicing shooting his bows at a target. Neither of the adults were interested in him anyways.

"Where are you guys going today?" Bickslow asked once as Orion more or less just sat there out in the forest, idly watching the two of them talk. The seith was down on his hands, upside down, walking around, showing her what he'd been teaching the boy. "Lissy?"

"Nowhere," she said slowly. "I just came to see if he wanted to go out to lunch with me."

He didn't. Orion was more or less annoyed, really that she'd showed up so early and ruined his practice. Lunch was the furthest thing from his mind.

"Lunch sounds great," Bickslow told her as he flipped over to get back to his feet.

"I don't remember anyone inviting you."

"Sure you do," he said with a grin, showing off his tongue tattoo. Orion just skewed his eyes shut. They were so disgusting. "You just did it, after all."

Maybe if he shot one of the man's babies with an arrow, he'd stop paying attention to his aunt and put the focus back on him. Maybe.

"You know," Orion told the man once as the seith sat around, bored, because Lisanna was out on a job, meaning she wasn't there at the end of their training session. Orion was shooting at a tree across the clearing, planning on staying out there for awhile long and Bickslow was mostly just killing time, as he had nothing else to do that day. "You could just always try asking her out on a date."

"Who?" The seith was watching his babies float around and didn't even glance at the boy.

"My aunt."

"Me and Ever would never work out. Also, I'm afraid of Elfman."

"Not her!" He knew that though. "My Aunt Lisanna."

"Why would I do that?"

"Uh, so you two can stop ruining our practice time, for one thing."

"Oy, kid," the seith sighed as he got to his feet. "There ain't much left for me to teach you anyhow. I think me and you are nearing the end of our time together."

"Good," he said as he let a bow fly across the clearing. Letting out a slight breath, he said, "I think Master's going to choose me this year, anyhow."

"Choose you for what?"

"You know. For S-Class."

That made Bickslow snicker and Orion, instead of pulling another arrow from his quiver, frowned over at him.

"What? Why's that funny?"

"The boss's first year in power and you think he's gonna do something like that? All the great mages we have that never had a chance to be S-Class and he's gonna-"

"Next year then." He went back to practicing. "Or the year after. Whenever. I don't care. I know he's going to do it. And I'm going to be ready when he does. And he knows it."

"Aye," the seith said slowly then as he set off. Pausing, he added slowly, "The boss does like you, I'll give you that."

"Of course he does." Orion let another arrow fly. "I'm the best of the next generation and he sees it. I'm going to be the one that keeps Fairy Tail at the top."

"You got big dreams, kid." Then he paused again before saying, "You almost sound like the boss."

When Orion got home that night, he found that his mother had the evening off and was making dinner.

"You didn't buy something to eat, did you?" she asked, as if worried. When he shook his head and went to sit at the table and watch her, she smiled over at him. "What'd you do today?"

"I was with Bickslow."

"Oh. Did he-"

"He was all depressed because Aunt Lisanna was out on a job."

Mira smiled at that before going back to the stove. "They're friends."

"They're more than friends," he complained. "And it's annoying."

"What?"

"That they…that they use me to be around one another," he said then with a frown. "How come they can't just go out on dates without using me as a buffer?"

Giggling, Mirajane said, "They used to use me too, don't worry. And your uncle and Evergreen used to have to take them out on all their dates. They've been this way for years."

"It's annoying," he insisted. "If they like one another, why-"

"It's not always that simple, Orion, in a guild," she told him then. Thinking for a moment, she said, "You can't always be with the person you want to. Really, you shouldn't. Dating in a guild only causes rifts."

"It's worked for Uncle Elf and Ever. And Natsu and Lucy. And-"

"We've been lucky," she admitted. "But not always. And Bickslow and Lisanna have built up this more fun world to live in. I think it's better for them, being on the cusp than actually jumping in."

"But if they've been this way for years, clearly-"

" _This way_ , yes, it had worked for years," she told him. "Many, many years. They work well as good friends. But you have no idea what they'd be like if they… It's just complicated, Orion. Just because you love someone doesn't mean that you should be with them. You have to weigh the pros and the cons."

And then, because he was tired and she wasn't making much sense, he decided to just go for it as he asked, "Is that why you left my father?"

He thought that he'd catch her off guard, phrasing it that way, but Mirajane just sighed, not looking over at him.

"I didn't leave your father. And we're not going to talk about it."

"Then did he leave you?"

"Orion-"

"Did you love him?"

"Stop it."

"Did he-"

"Why does it matter? Huh?" With a glance his way, she said, "Are you not happy? Have you not always had everything you needed?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"You didn't need him. And you still don't need him. I know sometimes it feels unfair, but trust me, the alternative just wouldn't have been great." And then, because she'd been conditioned to it, she said, "He watches over you. And that's all that matters."

But that wasn't all that mattered. It wasn't fair that she could just decide for him what he needed and what he didn't. And, when he insisted that he did need something, that she could just veto that need.

"Now go take this dinner over to Master's house." She was putting a bowl of something in front of him then. "And make sure that he has everything he needs. Then you can come back and eat, okay? I'm not hungry, so put everything up when you get back in, please. I'll be in bed, alright?"

"You don't want to go with me?" he asked as he got to his feet. Usually she liked to spend her off days around the man. "Are you sick?"

"No." She even kissed his head, which she knew he didn't like anymore, but it always made her feel better. "Just tired."

"You're always tired."

"Someone has to work, Orion."

With a frown, he said, "But I have jewels. And when I become S-Class, I'll have even more. Then you won't have to work, right?"

She stroked his hair then, sweaty as it was. "You don't want to waste your jewels on me, silly. You're going to go live by yourself. Remember? You're going to go see the world, aren't you?"

Yeah, but she was twisting his words. Just because he didn't want to be home a lot didn't mean that he wanted to just leave her behind. Even though he got annoyed with her sometimes, she'd still done more for him than his father ever had. She'd kept him. And she loved him. No matter what, she'd always done that.

What would be the point of having all those jewels if he couldn't spend them on the only person in his life that really deserved them?

When he got to Master's house, he found that the man wasn't alone. The new master was there with him.

"You sure got the hook up, Gramps," Laxus grumbled when Orion showed up. The two men were seated in the living room, but neither got up at his entrance. "Having the kid just bring dinner right to you."

"Truth be told," the older man admitted as Orion carried the bowl over to him. "I only ask Mira to bring me food so I can still see her. Someone to talk to."

Laxus snorted. "Yeah, that's why."

"She didn't feel well," Orion said, speaking to Makarov mostly. He was slightly nervous, with Laxus being there, and didn't look at the man. "She was going to bed when I left."

"I appreciate it, anyhow," Makarov assured him with a grin.

"You ain't going to greet me then, Orion?" Laxus grumbled from where he sat across the room in a chair. "I am your true master now, you know."

"Of course." He was quick to look over at him. "I was just-"

"Don't tease the boy, Laxus," his grandfather grumbled. "And Orion, don't listen to him. Probably the reason I'm sick in the first place. Just hoping I'd hand the guild over to him."

Snorting, Laxus got to his feet then. "Well, if you got company now, Gramps, I guess I better be going. I'll see you around. Would say I'd see you tomorrow, but apparently, you got a better caretaker than me."

"A more preferable one, anyhow."

Laxus sneered at the old man before going to tap Orion on the head. When he looked up at him, the man said, "Don't stick around here too long. Spend too much time with Gramps and you'll turn out like him. Can't have that."

After the man was gone, Orion got to work picking up around Makarov's place, like usual, while the man ate. When he was finished, he came to sit down next to him on the couch.

"You've still been working on your new spells, I take it?" the old man asked to which Orion was quick to nod.

"I know all sorts of things to infuse my arrows with."

"It's quite an interesting magic," he agreed. "But do not get so bogged down with learning many that you forget to hone a few to perfection."

"Of course not."

"And how goes your transformation magic?"

"Good," he told him with a nod.

"Your mother doesn't have much time to spend with you, does she?"

Slowly, he shrugged. "I don't need her to practice anymore. Not really. And besides, that's not what's going to get me a spot in S-Class. It'll be strength."

"It will be many things," the Master corrected. "And don't forget that. The more you know, the better."

When he got home, he still had a kitchen to clean up and a dinner to eat (he wasn't really hungry, but his mother would complain if he didn't). Once all that was done, he took a quick shower before going to knock at her bedroom door and check on her.

"Are you still awake?"

"Mmmm. C'mere."

Slowly, he came into the dark room before sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said with a shake of his head, glancing down at his mother. She was just laying there, clearly about to drift off. "I just… I saw Master."

"I told you to."

"Not Makarov. Laxus."

"Mmmm."

"Do you think…that he'll choose me? This year? Because Bickslow said-"

"I think, Orion, that you're placing too much value on being S-Class," she told him softly. "It's not something you always get on the first try, either. So even if he does pick you, that doesn't mean you'll get it. And if he doesn't pick you, that doesn't mean that he doesn't love you. It-"

"Why would he love me?" Orion blushed then. "Mom, that's weird."

"You know what I mean."

"He doesn't love me," he whispered then, looking around the room. "He… He's gonna respect me. That's what'll mean when he picks me."

"Mmmm."

"Did he get it on his first try?"

"I think so. You'd have to ask him."

"I can't _ask_ him something like that. I-"

"You've made him into this unapproachable guy," Mirajane said softly. "And he's not."

"You're just saying that because you're both friends."

"We are," she agreed softly. "If you want me to talk to him about-"

"No!" That one was loud. Glaring down at her, he said, "You can't. Don't. Promise."

"Orion, I'm tired. Just-"

"Promise."

"I promise," she gave in. "I can't influence him anyhow, I don't think. Laxus has always been rather stuck in his ways. If he picks you, he does. If he does, he doesn't. Don't put too much thought behind it. You do have the tides in your favor though."

"What do you mean?"

"Like you said, he and I are friends. And your Aunt Evergreen has always loved him. Then you have Bickslow-"

"I don't want to get it because of the people I know," he complained. "That's not why you got it. Or Erza. I want to get it because he believes in me."

"He does," she said softly. "He's told me."

"Do you think that I'm doing enough? Jobs, I mean? That-"

"Orion, I can't tell you what he's thinking, silly," she said, reaching out to pat him on the arm. "But out of all the kids, you go on the most alone, if that makes you feel better."

"Is that enough though?"

"Stop worrying about it," she insisted. "The more you do, the worse you'll feel. It's just a title. Just like being master is just a title. Laxus is our master, fine, but not everyone in the guild looks immediately to him for guidance. Some look to Erza or Natsu or-"

"Then they're stupid."

"Orion-"

"They are." He was sliding off the bed then to leave. "Laxus is our master because he's the best there is. He earned it."

"He did." She shifted on the bed then with a sigh. "Goodnight. I'll see you in the morning."

Maybe. He hoped to get out of the house before her so he didn't get roped into doing any chores. He wanted to train some before going to snag another job.

Mirajane just snuggled deeper into her bed with a sigh. It was quite a web they'd weaved, but it was worth it. Her love for her son, even before he was born, had always outweighed the love she had for Laxus. If she could go back, she'd make all the same choices over again.

How many people could say that?


	4. Regret

Chapter 4: Regret

He watched the S-Class promotion trials go by the first year without much care. He didn't get called, but that was fine. There was always next year. And Orion could remember well, when he turned thirteen, standing in the crowd with all the others, waiting on his name.

It didn't come.

Erza, who could tell he was hurt by this, spoke to him before she left with the Master and his mother to go hold the trials.

"Do you know that I was the youngest to complete the trials?" she asked him. "I was-"

"Fifteen," he grumbled as they sat out on her back porch. "I know."

"And your mother was sixteen when she accomplished hers. And Laxus, well, he was already seventeen. So see? Would you rather go before your ready and fall on your face? Or would you-"

"He picked," he grumbled through his teeth, "Radic. Over me! Radic gets to go and-"

"Radic is a complex case, yes," Erza agreed, smiling down at the young boy. "But he is the type that Laxus likes. He admires strength and-"

"Radic isn't strong. He's brutal. He's-"

"And once upon a time, Laxus was too." Erza shook her head, staring out at her backyard. "You will check up on my house while I am gone?"

He snorted, still in a rather foul mood. "I can't imagine anyone stupid enough to steal from Titania."

"I could name a few."

Glancing up at her then, he said, "Hey, Erza?"

"Hmmm?"

"I wanna beat you." It was a whisper then as he spoke, but he said it anyways. "I want to be the youngest. I wanna have a record in Fairy Tail too."

"Of all the memories and lasting impressions I hold, that is not one that I am most proud of."

"Huh?"

She gave him a stare. "You think that when people go back and remember me, that is what they will think of? That when people think of your mother, they will remember that she was an S-Class wizard? Not the countless times she saved the guild? Or the times that I put my life on the line for others? That is what is important."

"Yeah, but when the people that remember that die, so does the memory," he argued. "But a record-"

"The memory can fade, Orion, but the action never dies. The life you save will pass on, but the fact that once, no matter how long ago, you touched it remains. And if you think that being a mage is about anything other than helping others, then maybe you're not ready to be an S-Class."

He didn't wanna hear that though and glared at her. "I didn't say that was all I cared about. I-"

"I know," she told him. "But Master Laxus will choose you when he sees fit. And throwing a fit because another boy was chosen over you will not help anything. Do you know how long it took Natsu? Are you telling me that you are more powerful than he was at your age?"

"No," he groaned, kicking at the ground. "But Radic sucks."

"I will not agree with you," she told him. "But I will not disagree either."

Grinning then, if only slightly, he said, "If I ever do get to go-"

"When you get to go," she corrected.

"When I get to go," he said, "if I have to face you, I'm gonna take you down, Erza."

Laughing then, she said, "I welcome it. And do not think I will hold back."

"I know you won't." Unconsciously, he rubbed at his bruised arm from where just that afternoon the reequip mage had been a tad too rough in their sparring. "You never do."

As much as he hated not being able to be a part of those trials, he had to admit, watching stupid Radic come back a failure made him very happy. He didn't know what was better; that the boy hadn't made it passed the first round or the obvious disappointment in Gajeel's eyes. Orion decided it was a mixture.

Mira had found the time spent during the trials rather nice herself, as she always did. It was fun for her, participating and watching her friends have their dream come to fruition (the ones that failed, not so much). That year though had a rather different outcome that she was expecting.

"Trails were nice this year, huh?"

Mira hardly looked up as she was joined in the Master's office. "Mmmhmm."

Laxus only came in further. "What are you doing in here?"

"Just organizing your papers, Master."

"You know you don't have to call me that."

"I like it." She told him that every time he said that. "It makes me think of-"

"He ain't doin' so hot."

"He's held on longer than anyone expected," Mira said, finally glancing up for that. She was at a file cabinet, putting some things away. "But you're right. He won't make it out of this year, I don't think."

"He can't even get out of bed anymore, Mira."

"I know."

Sighing, Laxus came to stand above her. "What kinda files are you putting away?"

"Nothing serious," she told him with a slight smile. "Why? You worried I'll find something in here?"

"Your snooping skills?" He snorted. "You'd have already found whatever you were looking for."

"That's true."

"Demon."

"Hmmm?"

He let out a long breath then and, when she looked up, she gave him a look.

"Laxus, no."

"I just… We were spending so much time together during the trials and you know how I-"

"This is why I keep telling you that I can't treat you like I did Makarov. We can't work so closely together. Not if you-"

"I only wanna-"

"I know what you want." Shutting the drawer then, she got to her feet, a few files in her hands. "But it doesn't work that way. I told you last time-"

"You know how many last times there've been?"

"I know that this time I meant it."

"Mira-"

"We shouldn't be in here together." She moved to set the files on the desk then. He followed. "Laxus-"

"Do you remember," he asked softly as he came closer, "when we were first coming up with the rules? On how to keep you safe?"

"On how to keep you from being a father? Sure."

"You know that's not what it was about."

"I know that all the ideas you came up involved a lot of sacrifice on my part and very little on yours."

"What did you want, Mirajane? I told you, you could die, you could leave, or you could get rid of the baby."

"Kill the baby. Say it."

"Mira," he groaned. "It's not like that. You were just pregnant. If you just got rid of it-"

"Killed it."

"Stop it."

"No."

Glaring at her then, he said, "I told you when we first started sleeping together not to get pregnant. I even told you that sleeping with me was a bad idea. But you wanted to. You told me you wouldn't get knocked up. You did. That's your fault. So stop-"

"I'm not doing anything, Laxus, but telling the truth." She gave him a cold stare. "Did you ever think that maybe it was all bull anyways?"

"What was?"

"The whole curse to begin with. I mean-"

"I'm not fighting on this. I'm-"

"I'm not fighting you," she was quick to say. "Honest. But I'm not dead. And I didn't leave. And-"

"And Orion isn't my son."

"By blood he is."

"He doesn't have my name, he doesn't have my features, he doesn't have-"

"I still don't think that would have been enough," she told him. "I-"

"And we discussed that all, how many years ago now? What? Thirteen? Fourteen?"

She gave him a look. "Yeah and in those years, you sure had your barrage of women, didn't you, Master?"

"What does that have to do with anything? I'm sorry, did I ever even ask you not to date?"

"No, but you sure stuck me with a kid that-"

"I didn't want a kid," he hissed at her then, trying to keep his voice down. "At all. I gave you a multitude of options. You picked one. You seem to like this one. What? Would you have rather that we lived like a happy little family for a few years and then you died?"

"But I wouldn't have-"

"Fuck, demon, how many times do I have to tell you? It's a thing. It's been in my family for generations. The woman has a son, she leaves or dies. You weren't going to leave. I knew you weren't. But I love you. I saved you. You're welcome."

"Saved me? Are you still saving me, Laxus? Was it saving me all the times that we've slept together since-"

"That's why I wanted you to go away," he told her. "You know that. I tried, remember? I-"

"Yeah, to kick me out of the guild. To force me."

"I never-"

"You might as well have, back when I was pregnant. You made me miserable."

"I was trying to make you leave. I was-"

"Did it ever occur to you leave? At all? In these past few years?"

"Me? This is my home. This-"

"It's mine too!"

They'd been glaring at one another so long that, finally, he broke and looked off.

"Why are we talking about this again?"

Mira wasn't that easy to break though. "Because you were being an ass and coming in here all handsy-"

"I have not touched you," he told her then with a frown. "I've wanted to, but I have some self-control. Today."

"Laxus."

"I just love you."

"Right now," she grumbled before looking back at the files on the desk. "Are you going to let me finish? Or do you want to continue this conversation? We only have it, what? Every six months?"

"This one didn't feel complete."

"Oh?"

"One of us didn't storm off."

"I'm too tired."

"Poor demon." He looked back at her then, if only for a moment. "The curse is real."

"I don't believe it."

"You don't believe in curses? In a world of magic?"

"I don't."

Laxus laughed, but it was without humor. "Even though I can go back and show you every single woman in my family that died? That they gave birth to a son, he took the name, and then they died? Even though Gramps would attest to the same thing and Ivan literally watched my mother deteriorate-"

"I don't believe it," she repeated. "I'm sorry, but I don't. I mean, knowing the three of you so well, I assume that your ancestors were just as much of jerks and probably ticked some people off, but-"

"Then don't believe it," he told her then with a shrug. "I don't care. But you're alive. And I like you more that way. If denying it makes you feel better, fine. I don't care. But Orion's safe. And he has you."

"He wants you though, Laxus."

"No, he doesn't. He wants the mystery that you've decided to build up to be reveled. He wants closure that you made necessary."

"Oh, right, Laxus, I forgot that this was all my fault. Forgive me."

"Just…get out of my office, alright?" He was moving then, to go take a seat at the desk. "Don't organize shit for me anymore. Don't help me out. Just run the bar and I'll ask someone else. Or I'll do it myself. Is that what you want?"

"No, of course not. I-"

"Then what, Mira? You want me to go tell Orion that, surprise! I'm his father? You want that?"

"Of course not. I-"

"You wanna have sex?"

"W-What?"

Well, he tried…

"Just go, demon." He sighed, moving to rest his elbows on the desk before his head in his hands. "There's not much else we can talk about, is there?"

She paused for a moment before saying, "I don't wanna be mad at one another."

"I'm not mad at you. I've never been mad at you."

"Well, now you're lying to me."

"I'd like to think I've gotten better at it over the years."

Pressing her palms against the desk, she said, "For awhile there, we were going pretty good."

"When?"

"Mmmm…when Orion was probably about four. We stayed away from one another pretty well for, what? A year or two? Only spoke when we had to. You bothered Orion a few times, but-"

"I don't bother him. I check in on him," he corrected. Then, glancing at her, he said, "And you're hard to stay away from. I mean it when I say it. I do love you. You know that I do."

"I know that you've always said that. But no, Lax, I don't know that."

"I think you do. I think you hate to admit it, because it's easier to dislike me and call me a douche for what I've done to you, but you know that I care about you."

"Care and love are different things."

"And I do both. If you hadn't gotten pregnant-"

"It wouldn't have worked, Lax," she told him with a frown. "And you know it."

"Why do I know that? Huh? Why do I know something that didn't happen-"

"Because you're looking back with shaded vision," she told him. "We weren't the greatest couple, you know. And you were sleeping with other people."

"We weren't exclusive. We-"

"And we would have never been. And we would have ended a lot worse than we did. I'd have ended it or you would have and we would have caused a big fuss in the guild. We should have never been together in the first place."

Staring her in the eyes, he asked, "Do you really think that?"

"I really do. But I'm glad we were."

With a shake of his head, Laxus said, "I didn't think that we could keep it under wraps so long. I didn't think I could go without you."

"You haven't been without me though," she pointed out. And that was true enough. There had been slip ups. None in the past three years though, really. And she always regretted it. Really, they only served to send them backwards. They were never going to get over one another, that had been made clear, but every time they got to a shaky truce, they'd find themselves alone somewhere and it just… She hated herself, but she did still love him. For whatever reason, she always would. "And I hate not telling him. He loves you so much."

He looked off then. "Yeah, I guess he does."

"It's not just innate either. That's what makes it better, don't you think?"

"What?"

"He chose you, Laxus, out of everyone. He thinks that you're the strongest, best, and bravest, not because you're his father, but because he's seen it. Because you are."

"I miss that."

"Miss what?"

"You bragging on me."

"Shut up, Laxus."

"I do." He grinned then. "You used to rub my back and tell me how great I was."

"I made a lot of mistakes."

"Mira."

It was her turn to grin. "You used to rub my shoulders too."

"You know, demon, I've only gotten softer, the older I've gotten."

"Really?"

"Mmmhmm."

"What do you do now?" she asked. "For the women you're with?"

"What women?"

"That worked when we were in our twenties," she scolded. "Just barely."

He still just grinned. "A man has needs, demon. You can't fault him for taking care of them."

"I can't?"

"No." Shaking his head slightly, he said, "But I've never fallen in love again."

"That worked once," she said. "When Orion was, what now? Seven? Try again."

"I'm not trying. I'm just spilling my heart-"

"That didn't work. Any of the times you tried. And it's not this time either."

He just let out a long breath. "I still call out your name."

"Now you're getting weird."

"I still think about it, too. That time that I took you out of town, on that vacation, and we spent the whole time in the hotel room. Like fuck. I could have just kept you locked up in my apartment for no charge at all."

"That was a good week."

"It was."

Her turn to grin came then as she stared at him. "Can I do your files now? Master?"

"Was that all this was? Getting me all buttered up and relaxed?" He shut his eyes then. "Go ahead. If you're not going to rub my shoulders. This guild is taking it's toll on me already."

"Poor dragon."

"Poor me."

"I'm not going to though."

"I didn't think you would."

It didn't take long for her to finish up either. The whole time that she was down there, organizing, Laxus just sat there, thinking she figured. It was when she was all finished up though and getting to her feet that he stood. And she knew. She just knew.

"Laxus, n-"

"No one can tell me no," he reminded as he cornered her, trapped against the wall by the file cabinet. "I'm Master now, remember?"

"Laxus-"

"I'm just kidding." He grinned as he held his hands out, on either side of her head. Staring down at her, he said, "I just want a kiss."

"No, you don't."

"How do you know?"

"Laxus, honestly?"

"You want me too, don't you? Huh?"

"Not…here, for one."

"Then where? You wanna come home with me and-"

"No!"

"Shhh." He snickered. "Demon. Someone will hear."

"I'm shocked they haven't already."

"Just be glad." He moved to tilt his head forwards, but it was just to rest his forehead on hers. "Is the boy here?"

"He's on a job."

"Then what's the problem? Huh?"

"You're the one that always said-"

"I'm not gonna get you all knocked up again."

Rolling her eyes, Mira said, "You're such the romantic."

"I'm not." He smiled. "That's not even what I want from you."

That was enough. Mirajane literally shoved him away then as Laxus just laughed.

"Demon, don't-"

"I hate you, Laxus. So much."

He just reached out to grab at her, but she wasn't having it. He'd ruined it.

"Fine, go," he grumbled, as if he had a choice. She was leaving anyhow. "I love you."

"Shut up."

He'd really annoyed her. Not that that was anything new. That's why he liked Mira; for all the love she had for everyone else, she was pure fire with him. She always had been. Even before the baby. And he just poked and poked until she blew up in his face. Then he'd give it some time and go right back to poking.

It was their thing.

They'd had that sort of relationship for years. And years. The boy had put a hamper on things, and technically an end, but he just couldn't close the door on her. He knew he should, that it was necessary, but he couldn't help it. Especially the more time that went on and she didn't die. He even started to question himself at times.

But he knew. Of course he knew. It'd been told to him since he was a kid. Since Ivan blamed him for his mother's death. And he didn't want that for his demon. Or his son. He loved them both. Honest, he did. Mira was just so…captivating. And tempting. And _right there_. He figured she felt much the same as him for the most part.

So fine, Orion couldn't be his son. And he'd separated himself from the boy as much as he could. Mira though was a different case. He didn't have to keep himself completely separated from her. Not really. He just couldn't call the boy his own. That was all.

It was a thin line though and he knew every time they tried to step out on it, things only flew back in their faces. He didn't like toying with her. Or giving her false hope. But at the same time, he knew that Mirajane wasn't a normal woman. She just wasn't. She understood. Even though she didn't believe, she understood.

And somewhere, deep down, he had an inkling that she did believe just a little. Because the woman she was, he had a feeling she wouldn't have let him off the hook if she didn't. She'd have forced him to accept their son. That was just the way she was. And she would have died in the process.

It wasn't worth it. The boy, fine, he wanted a father, but other than that he was fine. And Laxus couldn't come out and say that he was his dad, but he did take care of him. He watched over him. He loved him. Really. He just couldn't say it.

He stayed in his office for the rest of the day, going over a few letters he'd received from other towns and such. It was well passed closing when there was a knock at his door.

"Laxus? I'm closing up," he heard Mira call. "Everyone's gone. Can you lock up?"

"C'mere for a sec. I need somethin'."

"What?" Opening the door, Mira was quick to come in and look. "I really need to go."

"Look at this."

Curious, Mirajane went to go see what he was pointing out on the letter in his hand. "Wh-"

He smiled into the kiss too. It was almost chaste, really. Against her lips, he said, "I tricked you."

"It won't happen again," she agreed.

"Then let me use it to my advantage."

He liked to think, too, that she hadn't been with anyone else in the past few years since they'd last been able to be together. He always liked to think that. He didn't know why. He knew it wouldn't be fair. He wouldn't hold it against her if she had. In fact, he didn't care. He would tell himself she hadn't anyways. As wrong as they were, she'd always been the only one for him. Always.

She hated him the next day, again. Like always. They didn't talk again for a month, at least. Not unless they had to. And if she hadn't wanted it just as badly as him, he might have felt a little bad. But she had. She knew it. He figured that all the hate she exhibited towards him, she had just as much for herself.

It would be a tense next few months.

For the two of them, anyhow. For Orion, things were going great. He was able to get out of his head a little and was doing extremely well on his jobs. Erza even took him out on a few S-Class ones and he realized just how hard they could be. Fun though. And his transformation magic, though not on his mother's level, was definitely exceptional.

And, when the year rounded out, he almost died when his name was mentioned among the list of those who were going to get a shot at being S-Class. Hearing the other names though, and realizing besides just one, they were all veterans, he was almost certain he wouldn't get it. But that was okay. He wasn't scared. If he didn't make it, he didn't make it. But at least that meant that the Master was thinking of him.

His mother opted out of going on the trials that year. Which everyone expected. He was a little disappointed, that she wouldn't be there, but part of him was also glad. She was too much of a safety blanket. And the last thing that he ever wanted to do was go up against her in battle (or get his butt kicked by his mother). Erza was going though. There was no way she wasn't. And even if he didn't make it further than the first round, as long as it was between him and Erza, he was down with it.

But he didn't even get that far. Radic, who was ticked that he had been overlooked that year, got into a fight with Orion not soon after it was all announced. And with his bows, fine, Orion was beyond reach, but the fight didn't involve magic. It was pure strength. And, as much as he hated the older guy, he was a brute. He wasn't very smart, but he was brawny.

Orion had broken bones before, but damn, Radic about tore his fucking leg off. It was horrible. He'd never been in pain like that before. And the other teen didn't take that as enough retribution. He wouldn't let him up. Just held him down and made him grit his teeth in pain.

"If I can't have it," he growled at him at one point, "why should you?"

Honestly, Orion didn't care that he got bested in the fight. He didn't care that Radic had won. Not at all. He did, however, care that he wouldn't be going to the trials that year.

"I can go," he argued to the Master, up in the infirmary, after his leg had been wrapped. "I-"

"With a broken leg?" The man just shook his head. "You'd only be coming right back home, after losing. This is a serious test. You're not fit for it now. I'm sorry."

"No, Master, you don't get it. It has to be this year. Next year-"

"You won't make it." Laxus actually did look rather sad for him, too, which was odd. "I'm sorry, kid. I really am. You shouldn't have-"

"Radic attacked me! What was I supposed to do?"

"Be better at defending yourself," Laxus told him simply. "I'm sorry."

"Stop saying that." He'd never talked back to Laxus before, not really, but he was pissed at him then. Truly, he was. "I don't want you to be sorry for me."

He almost looked like he was smiling then, Laxus did, as he came closer to lay a hand on the boy's head.

"There'll be other trials, kid. Every year," he said as Orion just glared. "And one day, you're gonna go and you're gonna make it. And It's gonna be me and you at the end and you're gonna do whatever stupid final test I ask of you. Then I'm gonna make you and S-Class and you're going to realize it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. I promise."

"It's easy to say when you have it."

"It is, ain't it?" He fully grinned then. "I picked you, Orion, because I know you'll do good. And another year? A whole other year to grow and mature? You're gonna be so ready."

"I want it now."

"I know." Laxus just left his hand there too, atop the boy's head. "I want you to have it too."

"Why?"

That made the older man pause. Orion thought he was thinking. Actually, Laxus was choking. That wasn't supposed to come out. At all.

Why would he want some random guy in the guild to become S-Class? Hmmm.

"Because you deserve it. I watched you, kid. I've always watched you. I dunno why. Maybe because you were the demon's son and I've seen what she could do. She's one of the only ones that never completely pissed me off around here." He dropped his hand then. "Use this time with your leg all busted up to do something other than train, huh? There's more to being a good mage than just being strong, completing jobs."

"What do you mean?"

"Kid, I don't ever see you with anyone other than us old losers," he told him. "Don't you have any friends or something?"

"I just train with Erza and Elfman and Bickslow and-"

"That's my point." He snickered then. "There's tons of girls and stuff all throughout Magnolia. Take some time off, eh? Don't be an old man yet. It won't suit you well when you are one. Ask Gramps."

Looking down, Orion said, "I don't want to hang out with the other kids. They all suck."

"I sued to think that. I hated these people. I thought they were weak and only got in the way."

"Worked out well for you."

"No," Laxus told him then with a frown. "I had to grow up. Realize that I couldn't do it all alone. You think that I'm still like that? 'cause I'm not. I have friends."

Orion glanced up at him. "I never see you with anyone."

"What are you then? My keeper?"

"N-No, I just-"

"I have to go," Laxus sighed then, looking off. "Keep your head up, kid. And if you show me what you did this year, and more, then we can look into it again next year, huh? I want you to make it. I like you, kid. If I didn't, I'd let you go out there, get your ass kicked, and maybe even screw up your leg even more. But I'm not gonna do that. You can wait. You'll get better. And next time that kid jumps you, you'll be ready, right?"

He could only nod though, and, with a sigh, Laxus set off. He had had his sights set on the boy coming along too. Even if he didn't make it, it would have given him good taste of what the trials were like. But…another year wouldn't do him any harm. None at all, really.

Downstairs, Laxus sought out Freed and found him relatively easy. Then again, if they were in the same place, the guy was rarely far from him.

"You know Gajeel's loser kid?" he mumbled to him as they stood off in a corner.

"what of him? But he could tell from Freed's gazed that he'd already picked up.

"I think he'd look nice with a broken arm. Don't you?"

"I could picture it, yes."

"Surely you and Bickslow could figure _something_ out while I'm gone."

"Surely."

With Laxus gone, Orion felt no reason to stay up in the infirmary any longer. He was still a little peeved though, at the whole thing, conversation with his idol or not, and set off for the downstairs, even on his bum leg. It wasn't easy with crutches, at all, but when he made it down, he found that most everyone had cleared out for the day. Most were probably still annoyed that, once again, they would spend another year being overlooked for the S-Class trials.

If he wasn't so down on himself, he might have left the hall too. But where would he go? Home? And look weak? Like he was going to go cry about not being able to go or something? No. Master, even if he wasn't there, wouldn't like that. Orion knew he wouldn't.

He decided then that he'd stay there, in the hall, and look as apathetic about it as he could be. And, later, he'd go over to Makarov's house and whine to the old man about it. He was the only one that really ever seemed to understand all of Orion's problems, anyhow.

"Looks like," he heard then, "you will not be beating my record."

He hardly even glanced up at Erza stood before his table. "Guess not."

"Then you will be around to check in on my house while I'm gone?"

"What else do I have to do?"

"Do not feel so down, Orion." She even tapped him on the head before turning to walk away, no doubt to get ready for her departure the next day. "If when you look back on your life this is the worst it has ever been, surely you will have lived a great life."

Yeah. But for some reason, he had a feeling that it wouldn't be turning out that way.

"There's always next year," Mirajane told him that night when she came into his bedroom to check on him. He just laid there though, on his bed, face buried in a pillow as he tried to block her out. "You know that."

"You sound like Master."

"Well," she sighed, sitting on the edge of his bed as she gently stroked the back of his head. "Sometimes Master says some smart things."

"He believed in me. And I screwed it up."

"You screw anything up. You-"

"I let Radic win. Again." Shaking his head slightly, he said, "That's what Master said. That I shouldn't have let him take me. He was basically saying that I'm weak."

"I promise you that's not what he meant."

"How do you know?"

"Because I just know, Orion."

"Laxus doesn't let anyone do anything to him to hurt him," he told her then, voice muffled by the pillow. "That's why he's the strongest guy around. If someone broke his leg, he'd break their face."

"Accidents happen."

"It wasn't an accident and you know it. Radic's always hated me and it's not fair. I hate _them_. They all suck. They all hate me when I didn't do anything wrong."

"And why do you hate them then?"

"Because they're…them."

"Orion, listen to yourself."

He didn't want to. And besides, he didn't really mean it. Not completely, anyhow. He and Radic had some good times together, occasionally. Even recently. It was just the second that a prize was waved in one of their faces that they got so bloodthirsty. Because as much as Orion hated to admit it, if he had thought of it before, he'd have broken Radic's leg that year he got to go.

They weren't nearly as different as they seemed.

"Next year you'll be even stronger," she said simply, leaning over to kiss the back of her head before getting to her feet. "And Master will be even more impressed."

"Unless he's not. Then what? What if this was my one chance?"

"I thought you talked to him? You said that he told you-"

"Yeah, he said that stuff," Orion grumbled. "But who knows what he's really thinking? He might have just been telling me that to make me feel better. He might not ever give me another chance and I blew it and now he's not going to ever let me-"

"Take a breath."

"Mom-"

"Go to bed." She went to turn off the light and leave. "Things will look better if you just give them some time."

* * *

 **This curse stuff is in reference to a one-shot I did once, Curses and Cures, dealing with the idea of it, but just taken to a new level of seriousness and validity.**

 **And also, I kinda fucked up guys. I mismanaged some stuff and have way too much for just five chapters, but don't necessarily have enough for ten either. I'll just have to come up with some more filler stuff, I suppose. Which shouldn't be too hard. It gets you guys five more chapters, anyhow, so it shouldn't be too bad on your parts.**


	5. Paternal

Chapter 5: Paternal

Orion spent the first few weeks after the trials doing nothing. He was rather depressed. Though no one actually came away with the S-Class title at the trials, it didn't make him feel any better. That meant that it had been fair game. And he'd missed it.

His mother could tell that he was down about his leg though and tried to spend a lot of time with him. Which, sure, he appreciated, but he was starting to get too old to hang out with her all the time. It just wasn't fun for him any longer.

Mirajane could tell too that he wasn't that interested in spend all day with her. Before he started taking jobs, they used to spend all of her off days together. Even when he had to train, he'd want her to go watch. Recently though, he didn't even want her around. Not at the guild, not at home. Elf told her that he was just becoming a man and to leave him be.

It was so hard though. It just made Mira so…sad. Since he was born, it had been the two of them. She almost felt like he was trying to ditch her too, just like Laxus.

Not that Mira wanted to, like, hold him back or anything. She knew that he had to become more dependant. He was getting older. Eventually, he would leave her. Even though she didn't like to think about it, he'd made it more than clear that he didn't want to spend the rest of his life in Magnolia. He didn't even seem to like most of the people in the guild, really. Her years with him were numbered, she knew, and they were being wasted on him trying to prove himself to a man that would give up the world for him.

Sadness didn't even begin to explain what she was feeling.

Her son didn't notice, given he wasn't hanging around much anyways, but others did. Lisanna kept telling her that she just had to start doing things for herself again, but she didn't want to. Orion was her main focus and had been for years. To know that he was just blocking her out then didn't make her feel very good.

Someone else took notice too though that, honestly, she wanted to stay away from. And she had been. Very well, actually, the past few months. But as always, it only took one moment of weakness to wash that all away.

"What's up with you, Mira?"

"Hmmm?" She glanced up from the money she was counting out. "What, Master?"

Laxus just stood there though, frowning at her. "You've counted that same stack of jewels, like, five times."

"I just keep losing count," she said with a slight smile. "What? Are you watching me?"

He had been sitting off by himself, drinking a beer. The guild had already been closed up though and it was only the two of them. She thought that he was waiting for her to finish closing so that he could be alone, but apparently, he was just waiting to corner her.

"No," he said as he rested his palms against the bar. "I just… I know that we haven't been on good terms for awhile now-"

"What are you talking about? You're the Master and I'm the worker. What more could you want?"

"Demon."

"Well?"

"I was just talking to Ever or whatever and she said that, you know, you're feeling all down and shit," he said as he continued to stare across the bar at her. "I mean, even I noticed it, really. I just thought you were mad at me about something. But if something's wrong-"

"Nothing's wrong."

"Evergreen said it was about Orion-"

"Nothing that concerns you."

"Mira-"

"It doesn't affect my work," she told him. "Therefore-"

"I'm not asking as your boss or your master or whatever." He gave her his best concerned look. She wasn't buying it. "I'm asking as your friend. Aren't we friends?"

"Laxus-"

"Has he done something? I mean, I can talk to him. He listens to me, I think. He thinks I'm the greatest thing ever."

"Yeah, I know. Just boosts your ego even more, doesn't it?"

"Mira, I'm not trying to make this about me. At all. I just know that you're feeling all down about Orion and-"

"I just miss him, alright?"

"Where is he?" Laxus frowned. 'I could have sworn I just saw him a few days-"

"I'm not saying that I haven't seen him, Laxus," she complained as, once more, she lost count of the money. With a sigh, she sat it down on the bar before looking up t him. "He just… I guess it's not cool to him anymore, to go places with me and do things together and-"

"Mira." Laxus frowned at her. "He's a boy. He's, what? Fifteen now? Of course that's not fun anymore. He's growing up. He-"

"I'm not stupid," she told him with a glare. "I know that. Just because I know why he's doing something though doesn't make me feel any worse about it."

"Why would you feel bad about it?" he asked. "Huh? There's nothing you can do. You should want him to grow up. It'll give you a chance to get your life back, anyhow. Surely there's something that you want to do, now that he's so busy."

"I don't really see how that involves you, at all."

For a moment, he just stared at her. Then, with a shake of his head, he pushed away from the bar.

"Alright, Mira," he said with a sigh. "You win. I won't care about how you're doing if you don't want me to. That's fine. Whatever. You think that you're the focus of my life? Hardly. Be miserable."

It would have been so easy too, to just let him walk out. Better too. For the both of them. But Mira, though she could be mad at him at anytime, never rightly liked the idea of him feeling the same way towards her.

"Laxus, wait," she called out, staring after him. He only glanced over his shoulder though. "Let's just… Do you want a drink? Here. Sit down and you can drink while I finish closing up. Will that be okay?"

He grunted. "My own damn hall, I drink when I want. Don't just sit around waiting for you to ask me for one."

"Laxus, please. I don't want to fight."

That got him to relax some as he turned around to look at her. "And you think that I do? Mirajane, you know how I feel about you. If it wasn't for the kid, demon, it'd still be me and you. You know that. It still is me and you. Just not openly."

For once, she didn't fight him on that. Only went to pour him his favorite drink and set it in front of a stool. Slowly, Laxus came to sit down, taking a drink first before looking at her.

"What?" he asked at the fact she wouldn't look at him again. "Mira? What did I-"

"Just me and you? Huh?"

"Well, sure. Me and you. It always-"

"That's funny, Lax, considering you're always out with those other women."

"Mira-"

"I'm just saying."

"And I'm just saying that I'm tired of talking about this. What? You want me to stop sleeping with other people?"

"I didn't say that."

"Would you like that?"

"Well, yeah, Laxus, I would."

"So that what? I can wait around for the one time a year, if that, that you and I are together? I'm not doing that, Mira."

"Then why did you bring it up?"

"You brought it up!"

Shaking her head, she went back to counting out the money. "Why do you care then, Master?"

"Don't start with that."

"That's what you are. Master."

"That's not what I am and you know it. I love you, demon."

"You have a horrible way of showing it."

"You sleep with other people too, you know."

"Oh, yes, Laxus, all those lucrative relationships I've had over the years. Just so many men, in and out of the house that I share with my son. Let's see, um, none?"

"Just because you don't take them home doesn't mean you're not fucking them."

That got him a heavy glare then. "You know what, Laxus? Never mind. Let's just not talk."

"I didn't mean it like that," he groaned. "Honest."

"How else could you mean it? You said that I was-"

"I'm just…upset, alright? I don't like having these conversations."

"Oh? And what else could the two of us possibly talk about together? Huh? Since, apparently, having Orion ruined everything-"

"I never said that."

"You just did! Not less than a minute ago. You said if it wasn't for him-"

"Yeah, and if it wasn't, we would still be something, Mira. But he is here. And I ain't hated that fact for a damn second. I've watched over him too, alright? I'm the one that had Bickslow and Ever look out for him. Me. I did that. 'cause I care about him. And I care about you. I'm protecting you."

"I don't need your protection, Laxus! I never even wanted it. And I still don't. You just use that as an excuse to live selfish lifestyle where you just throw money and me and Orion to make yourself feel better as you go out and sleep with half the town."

It was his turn to give an icy glare, which he did then, staring her down from across the bar.

"I'm so sorry, Mira, that I give a damn about you."

"Oh, shut up."

For a minute or two, neither spoke. Mira finally got the money counted and went to put it away, leaving Laxus alone with his drink.

Why couldn't they ever just get along? For longer than five minutes?

"Hey, demon?" he called out while she was still off, putting the jewels away in the safe. "Can you hear me? I'm sorry, alright? And I…I'm just gonna go. I'll see you tomorrow or whatever. I know that I have to just start leaving you alone, but I can't, alright? Maybe things aren't working out, with you being around so much. I'll figure something out, okay? And not bother you as much? Just…have a good night, huh?"

When he didn't get a response, he only sighed and reached into his pocket to pull out some tip (extra) money for her. He was busy counting out a nice wad when she showed back up.

"You are not leaving me all of that."

"And why not?" He didn't look up at her. "Mirajane?"

"Because, Laxus, I don't want-"

"You're gonna take it. Get over it."

"Laxus-"

"Are you finished up here? Or what?" He glanced around. "You still don't have things to do, do you?"

"There's dishes to be washed, the floors need to be swept, and the bathroom-"

"Lisanna works tomorrow, huh? In the morning? Leave it for her."

"What? No. Laxus-"

"I'm walking you home. It's late." He gave her a look. "And that's an order. Get your coat. Don't leave the Master waiting, huh?"

She didn't want to, he could tell, but at the same time she needed to. Just glancing at a clock, he found it to be some time after midnight. He knew she was fine, of course, by herself, that she was safe, but still. Her being all alone in the guildhall that had been destroyed, oh, a billion times over the year by their enemies? No thanks. He'd gladly walk his demon home than have her in there when that happened.

"I haven't been to your house in a long time."

"You're not coming to my house," she told him simply. "You're just walking me home. Not coming in or anything like that."

With a frown, he glanced down at her. "Just for that, demon, I'm coming in."

"You are not."

"Gonna make myself all comfy on the couch. Put my feet up. Remember how it felt to have you wait on me there."

"Laxus-"

"The boy isn't even home," he pointed out. "And he won't be for a few days, huh? Where'd he go on his job?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "He hardly goes through me for them. I think he feels like I baby him or something."

"Well, he is your baby," he was quick to tell her. "And if he's being a little ass to you about it, I'll set him straight."

"And why, Laxus, would you do that? Huh?"

"Because I'm the Master." He flexed. "I can do anything I want."

When they got to her place, he could tell that she was apprehensive about letting him in, but Orion really wasn't around. And she honestly was dead tired. Fighting with him more wouldn't help alleviate that any.

"I'll go put on some tea and-"

"Don't do that, demon." Laxus went immediately to sit down on the couch, stretching out. "Just c'mere. I was real mean, yellin' at you before, huh? Let me-"

"We are not sleeping together." She said it just like that. Flat, as if bored with the idea as well as annoyed with it. "So if that's your endgame, you can get out right now."

"Mira, stop it with this resistance stuff, huh?" He shut his eyes. "If you didn't want to sleep together, you wouldn't have invited me in."

"I didn't invite you! And if you're going to be like this, just get out."

"I'm comfortable." He peeked an eye open. "And calm down. Just come sit with me. What? You think I'd screw you on this couch? I mean, if you're offering-"

"Laxus-"

"We won't do anything. Just come sit. He's not here, he's not going to know. So why are you fighting it so hard?"

"Because, Laxus, we can't keep doing this."

"Doing what? Huh? Being happy? Even if it's just for a little while?"

"Toying with this," she said with a frown. "You didn't want me and Orion and now you don't have us. So why-"

"Hey." He sat up then, opening both eyes as he glared at her. "I did want you. Both of you. But I couldn't have you. So I had to keep you-"

"We already did this once tonight. No more." Turning, she headed out of the room. "Lock up when you leave."

Great. He'd blown it. There was no point in following her then. And, with a groan, Laxus got to his feet to head out of the house.

Only he could manage that. Only him.

That was what Orion was feeling too, when he got back into town a few days later. Only him. Only he was the one that Laxus wanted. He knew it then. For certain. That the man saw something in him.

It had to be clear to everyone else by that point. In front of them all, Laxus had asked him.

"Hey, kid, you gonna mope around here all day? If not, you should come with us. You want to?"

Orion had been sitting up at the bar, listening to his mother tell him about all the things around the guildhall she needed his help with (his aunt had gone off on a job, which left a lot of work to be done), when the Master just came walking up to him. He had his big coat on and looked ready to head out to somewhere, Freed and Bickslow flanking him on either side. The seith gave Orion a thumbs up for some reason while Freed just glanced at Mirajane.

"Master Laxus is being rude," the other man said. "Mira was speaking, I believe. And she seems to be instructing him to-"

"You need someone to help you around the hall, you should have asked me," Laxus grumbled, glancing at the woman too. At first, she'd taken a moment to process what the guy was saying to her son, but she was starting to catch on. And she didn't like it. Not one bit. "I'll get you some help. Kinana and you do need someone else, I suppose, when Lisanna's not around. We're so busy these days. I'll get one of the lowly losers to help out, huh? And come on, Orion. If you're coming, I mean."

If? _If?_ Was there even a need to add that? Really?

"O-Of course!" He popped right up. "Master. I-"

"Laxus," Mira hissed from across the bar, suspicion lacing her tone. "What are you doing? He's not going out with the three of you. You're grown men and he's just-"

"I'm sorry, do barmaids question the Master now and get away with it? Perhaps you've confused me with my grandfather."

"Laxus," Freed whispered under his breath. "Perhaps you have misjudged the situation-"

"Oy, kid." Bickslow hadn't read it well either. He didn't know that Laxus was doing it all just to get back at Mirajane. Not at all. He thought that the man was just going to spend some time with his boy. Sounded great to him. Going to toss an arm around the teen's shoulders, he said, "Your aunt's on a job, huh?"

Orion was too keyed in on his mother then to respond. Turning to look at her (and shove Bickslow off), he said, "What are you doing? Master just asked me to go somewhere with him. Why would you try and ruin that?"

"I'm not," she said, not glancing at the boy. "But you shouldn't be going out with-"

"You can't tell me what to do. If I want to go with the Master then-"

"Hey." Laxus popped him in the back of the head that time, making the boy glare over at him. It was one thing for Laxus to stand against Mira, but to hear their son act that way towards her ticked him off. "That's your mother. You think I outrank her with you then you've got another thing coming. Now apologize."

Mira could tell too, glancing at her son that he was embarrassed. Laxus had just called him out in front of the others. That was probably a thousand times worse than her trying to veto him going.

"Sorry," he mumbled to which Mira just glanced back at Laxus.

"Why would you want him to go anyways?" she asked, though she knew. Of course she knew. He wouldn't be doing it if she didn't at least have some inkling. She'd made a big deal out of him not wanting the boy and, well, now he was going to spend time with him and it was going to be great for both of them. Other than the fact that one knew he was the father of the other while the latter was left in the dark for no conceivable reason other than a curse that made little to no sense in the first place. Other than that, though, they would have a grand ol' time.

Sigh.

"Where are we going?" Orion got out as they left the guildhall finally. Laxus had assigned someone to help Mira out behind the bar before they walked out though. "Master?"

He just grunted and, well, Freed and Bickslow were so busy arguing them over whether or not the latter could actually scale a wall (the seith was insistent that he could, with no help whatsoever) that they didn't answer either. Not that Orion was, like, nervous or anything. So the man that he'd idolized since he was a child just decided to take him out for the day. What? Was he supposed to be, like, intimidated? Or fearful? Or something? Because he wasn't. It was meant to be. Clearly, Laxus had seen how mature he'd become and was finally taking him into his inner circle.

It was bound to happen eventually.

They went to the man's apartment after getting some takeout food which, since he was the low man on the totem pole, they made him carry.

"I used to have to carry it too," Bickslow sighed as he followed along. "They'd say that I was the least valuable person around. Ha! Jokes on them. My babies thing I'm the most important one."

"Important," they cried following along. "Papa."

At Laxus' place they headed into the living room where he already had a card table set out.

"Set the food down here, boy," Laxus grumbled as he slipped his coat off and tossed it onto the couch. "And Freed, go get some drinks, huh?"

"Of course, Laxus," the man said, rushing off to the kitchen to do so.

'Oy, boss," Bickslow complained as he claimed a seat. "Is Elfman not going to be coming around? Ever usually says that we gotta invite him to stuff."

"What do you think the boy's for?" the man grumbled, taking a seat. "He's our fourth now. Elfman can go rot somewhere for all I care."

Slowly, Orion moved to take a seat as well, still uncertain. Bickslow seemed more relaxed though, at the mention of Elfman not showing up, and even snickered.

"You should have asked me, boss," he told Laxus then. "If you wanted a fourth, I couldda got us one real easy."

"Your freaky friends? In my apartment? No thanks. Rather that never comes to fruition."

"Your loss."

"I'll eat it, believe me."

Freed was back then, with the beers, which he sat in front of each of the men. When he got to Orion though, he paused.

"Uh, I do not-"

"The demon let you drink?" Laxus asked as he took a sip from the already popped bottle cap (Freed thought of everything, constantly). "Kid?"

"N-No," Orion said with a shake of his head. "She says-"

"Well the demon ain't here." Laxus winked at him. "Just don't get tellin' on me, huh?"

"Only if you want," Freed was quick to say, as if as a precaution. "Because-"

"I want to," he said quickly. As if there was anything thought to it. Laxus Dreyar, his idol since, like, forever, had just offered him a beer. Of course he'd drink it! All of it. And, when after a sip he found that he hated it, it didn't matter. He'd be drinking it to the last drop. And anything else that was placed in front of him.

It was all great too, being with all those guys. He usually would be nervous, being around Laxus, but the alcohol put him as ease quickly and, well, it was hard to feel anything, but loose around Bickslow. The seith was just so goofy. And Laxus and Freed weren't so bad either. They didn't rebuke him when he didn't completely understand the rules to the card game and neither seemed too annoyed with teaching him. Mostly he just sat there and listened to them talk, trying his hardest not to seem childish or to be a bother.

The men talked about a plethora of things, ranging from their most recent jobs to different women in their lives. They seemed more content with their conversations than actually paying attention to the game at hand. Orion was just glad that he'd recently gone out on a job and had some jewels in his pocket to play with. It would have been completely mortifying if he hadn't.

Eventually, Laxus sent Freed off to get his box of cigars for him.

"You smoke, kid?"

"No," he told Laxus with a shake of his head, just watching as the man lit up. Was he going to…offer him one? Because then yes, Orion definitely did.

"Good." Laxus didn't even glance at him. "You ain't startin' on my account."

"Oy, boss," Bickslow muttered. "You got his hopes up."

"What?" That time, Orion got a glance. "You thought I was givin' you one of these?"

"N-No, I just-"

"Beer, I can explain away to Mirajane. Getting you hooked on these fancy cigars? Not likely."

Freed just bowed his head. "She does not like them, as it were."

"What do you mean?" Orion asked, glancing at the man. "People smoke in the guild all the time."

"Yes, but Laxus' cigars bother her for some-"

"Hey, Freed. Another beer, yeah?" Laxus grumbled, shooting him a glare. "Quickly."

"Me too," Bickslow said with a nod. "And the kid also, boss?"

He glanced at Orion again before shrugging. "One more won't hurt."

Oh, but it would. Orion, for someone who spent so much time around a bar, had never had so much alcohol in him before. And in such a short time span. He hardly could keep his wits about him. And the room was all smoky because, well, Laxus could never have just one cigar. It stunk too, but there was no way that Orion was going to make any complaints. He had to be one of the guys, after all. It might be his only chance.

And all because they didn't like his Uncle Elf. Huh. It was rather shocking, really, considering he did very much so. But hey, to each their own.

The night just drug on too. And, even though Laxus said he was only supposed to have one more, he let the boy try some whiskey too, when that was brought out, though that turned out to be a bad idea.

"You shouldn't have ever given him alcohol," Freed told Laxus after the boy lost nearly everything in his stomach in the bathroom, vomiting up dinner and liquor alike. When he was finished with that, he was so embarrassed that, well, he tried to leave, but Laxus and the other two guys forced him to sit on the couch for a bit and calm down. After that, Bickslow took off, not wanting to get put on puke duty, while Freed took to cleaning up. "You cannot take him home in this condition."

"I ain't takin' him home," Laxus grumbled, nodding over to where the boy was passed out on the couch in that short amount of time. "Demon would have my head. No. You're gonna go down to the hall, tell her that he's sleeping over here, and be done with it."

"Why though, Laxus?"

"Eh?"

"Why would he sleep over here?"

"Because I want him to. What more of a reason could she possibly need? Huh? Now hurry up and clean up." Laxus was heading off to the kitchen then, to get another beer. He'd need it. "Boy's got me all screwed up in the head."

After Freed left, Laxus sat around in the kitchen for awhile, to avoid messing with Orion. Now he'd gotten the kid sick. Great. Mira would never let him take him out again.

The whole point was to show her that yes, he could have been a father. He just wasn't allowed to have the chance, in an attempt to save her. Not to completely screw up and show her that it was a good thing he had never been a real father.

Sigh.

"Hey, kid," he found himself grumbling eventually as he went back into the living room. "Orion. You there, kid? Don't, like, die or something. Completely ruin my life."

Reaching down, he gently patted the boy on the shoulder, making the teen groan slightly.

"Sleepin'," he slurred against the couch pillow. "Stomach hurts."

"Alright, kid. You just try and not, like, die out here and I think we'll be good. Don't try and leave either. Not till mornin' when I think of some good excuse to tell your mother, huh?"

Orion mumbled something else before he conked out again. Which, honestly, was better than him throwing up. A lot better, actually.

Laxus started out of the room, but it wasn't to his own bedroom. No. It was to the kitchen to get a chair and drag it into the living room. With a groan, he sat it by the couch before hunching over to watch the boy.

It would be a long night.

He wondered, at times, during those next few hours, if that was how Mira felt since, oh, Orion had been born. All the times that she had to sit up with him when he was a baby or when he was sick as a child. Making sure that he was still breathing, that he didn't need anything. Probably a lot more than Laxus was doing, really, but he felt like the night was taking a lot out of him.

"You'd probably be dead by now too, kid," Laxus sighed, staring at the sleeping boy. "If Mira had…died. And left me with you. I had you one night and look; I got you drunk and sick and… It wouldn't have worked, you see? Mira had to live. Not just 'cause I love her or whatever. Because I love you. Get it? She had to be around to take care of you. There was no way that I could have. It just… I'm sorry, kid. There was no other way."

When the sun finally came up, Orion hated it with a vengeance. Laxus was going around the apartment, getting ready for the day as he only tried to fight off the pounding in his head.

It wouldn't go away.

"Where am I?" he groaned as he sat up slowly at one point, only to fall back down. "Mmmm."

"You're at my apartment, kid. Don't you remember?"

That sounded like Master, but it seemed very far away. It was actually just from the kitchen, where the slayer was eating breakfast.

No. He didn't remember that. Or anything. Just groaned some more.

"You came over with Bickslow and Freed and ended up getting a little bit too tipsy. Now you're hungover."

"I just wanna sleep."

"Yeah, well, I need to get you outta here and fast. Back over to your mother's. She's gonna flip if I don't. She's probably already worried. And if she comes over here, well-"

"Master?"

"Yeah?"

"Stop talkin'. Please."

It took awhile to get the boy at least some what decent. And then Laxus walked him most of the way home, having to help him along. At the end of the boy's street though, he set him on his way. No need to have a blow up fight with the demon in front of him. No, they could save that for later. Hopefully much later. Like, say, never sounded good for him.

"What happened?" Mira asked the second the boy came stumbling through the backdoor. "Orion?"

She was at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee, and apparently waiting on him. Honestly, she'd expect Laxus to at least face her, but just seeing Orion was enough for her at the moment.

They'd already spoke though, he and Laxus, and, well, the boy knew his one line.

"Late night. With Master. Hung out. Gonna go to bed."

"Orion," she complained as he just disappeared into the house, making off to his bedroom where, after closing the blinds, he hoped to sleep for the rest of eternity.

Or at least until his hangover wore off.

Whichever came first.

And Laxus just sat up at the guild, knowing what was coming. The demon was going to kill him. She really was. And he couldn't even fight her on it. How could he? He'd gotten her son blackout drunk practically for no reason other than he was trying to prove a point to her…that kinda got extremely muddled along the way, but it had been a point, at one time or another.

When Mira did show up, she had quite a few words for him. A lot, actually. And he took them too, back there in his office, away from prying ears. She unleashed on him in as soft a voice as she could pull off, about that was quite the stunt he'd pulled and how irresponsible he was.

He decided not to bring up what age they all started drinking or that fact that he boy came and went as he pleased; Laxus might have been the first to get him that way, but he surely wouldn't be the last. He might not have been an adult, but she treated him like one. Sometimes that meant that bad things happened. It just came with the territory.

But he kept quiet on all that. Just let the demon vent. And when she was done, she didn't talk to him for a week. At least. He didn't try to start any conversations with her either. Just had to let her cool down, was all.

The next time that he went to head out with Freed and Bickslow again though, one weekend night when the guild was pretty much dead, he first went over to Orion, who was busy behind the counter, wiping down the bar and the bottles on the shelf behind it.

Mira, who was behind it as well, eyed Laxus suspiciously, but it was to the boy that he spoke.

"You busy here, boy?" he asked him. "Or can you go out with us?"

Orion about dropped the bottle he was polishing off. Then he looked to Mirajane.

"Can I?" he asked. When he found her dark gaze, he bowed his head. "I mean…I won't stay out all night this time. I promise."

Mirajane didn't want to. Laxus could tell. But, after she gave him a long stare, she just turned to go back to talking to her sister, who was in front of the bar, telling Orion all he needed to. The kid seemed so excited to be with them that Laxus was glad he'd risked it with the demon by asking.

Even if the first time was a disaster.

And that time, none of them drank (much to the displeasure of Bickslow, who cut out early because of it, grumbling about how he had better things to do anyways). Laxus didn't care though about how any of them felt.

It wasn't about Mira not trusting him or him not being there for Orion. It was about the fact that he'd screwed up the first time. And he wouldn't again.

He couldn't be a father, he knew that, but he could be a mentor to the kid. He was finally ready. And damn if he didn't want to be a good one.


	6. Fathers

Chapter 6: Fathers

It wasn't until Laxus was Master that he found just how hard the job was. There was no joy to be found in it at times, even, as through the years he dealt with everyone from the council, to other guilds, as well as the constant destruction that his caused. It was like a never ending trial with new turns and twists popping up frequently.

Through the years he, of course, turned to the Thunder Legion frequently for help. Mainly Freed as, per usual, the man was more than willing to do all of Laxus' bidding. He would help out in any way he could. It was made very obvious that Freed could be what Mirajane was to Makarov, if Laxus would only allow him.

But he wouldn't. He couldn't let go. He didn't want to. How could he be blamed, however, when the person he was falling back on anyways was just as unwilling to change as well? Mirajane had been in the position of helping the Master since she was a teenager. Why should a change of hands disrupt that?

Not that Laxus didn't see the benefits from it. He and Mira, for obvious reasons, just didn't work well together. And with Orion getting older, she was finally having a chance to live a life not only outside of her son, but also outside of the guildhall. It wasn't fair for him to waste more of her years, he knew, but at the same time, the few moments of clarity he had where he tried to convey this to the woman, she always shot it down. Claimed that some of her best memories and times stemmed from the hall and she couldn't think of somewhere that she'd rather spend her days.

It was just a muddled mess, honestly, but what could they do? Laxus honestly didn't want anyone else helping him other than Mirajane and she, truth be told, didn't want that either. Not just for the sake of keeping her position in the guild, but rather, if she was being honest, she rather liked Laxus. Not just in their usual, romantic way, but as a master. He wasn't Makarov, he never would be, and he wasn't Macao either. But he was good in his own right. Great even. He was caring, though a tad strict, and more approachable than one would think, just from looking at him. He was a good master. And she was glad to serve under him.

"Laxus, knock it off. Seriously, we have to get through this."

Except for at the moment.

He only yawned though, rubbing at his eyes before opening them again. "Huh?"

Mirajane frowned over at him from across the kitchen table. "You can go home and go to bed when we finish with this stuff. Not a moment sooner. And if you would stop nodding off, we could get through it a lot faster, you know."

"Sorry, Mira," he yawned as he sat to attention then. "I just, uh, can't stay awake."

She was back to looking over the letters in front of them then and only nudged a coffee cup towards him. He'd already downed most of the pot. "Finish mine."

"Clearly," he said, "coffee ain't working for me."

"Just finish mine. Maybe it'll give you enough of a boost to last until we finish this up, huh?"

Their night together at Mirajane's house was not at all what Laxus was hoping for. She'd taken the day off from the guild and, even though Laxus tried very hard to not bother her on those rare days, something came up.

One of the younger teams in the guild had taken a job the prior week and were supposed to just go out and catch a bandit or something. Simple. Laxus didn't think much of it when they returned victorious. Until the letters came in. A lot fo them. As, apparently, the bandit had led them on a chase through a number of costal towns, all of which they destroyed in the process.

It was something Natsu would be proud of. Laxus? Not so much. And with Freed off on a job, Ever busy with Elfman, and Bickslow being, well, Bickslow, the only person Laxus trusted to help him write apology letters and figure the repair costs was his demon.

"I'm real sorry about this," he'd said when he appeared on her porch. "Honest, Mira, I just… You don't have to help me or let me in, but-"

"Come on," she'd groaned, only moving to open the door further. "Orion's out anyways. I was just cleaning up."

The problem didn't just lie in writing apology letters, however, as they also were on quite a tight budget as of late and were going to have to move around some money if they were going to get everything paid for in a timely manner. Laxus wasn't an idiot by any account, but Mira was better with numbers than him and always had been. That prove true again that night.

"Just sign this last letter, Lax," she told him eventually as he stared at her with bleary eyes. "Then we're done."

After doing so, the man moved to rest his head on the kitchen table. "You can get the letters mailed? Tomorrow?"

"Mmmhmm." After sealing up that one, Mira got to her feet. "I will on my lunch break, alright?"

"Perfect," he mumbled as his eyes drooped closed. "Demon?"

"Hmmm?" She'd started on getting the dishes put in the sink then and only glanced back at him. Since he'd been over there so long, she'd already fed him a dinner of sandwiches and, as previously mentioned, filled him with coffee. Not to mention sodas. His woman took good care of him. Even when she wasn't his woman. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he sighed, not opening his eyes. "I just… Thank you."

"Of course, Master," she was quick to say. "You know I'm always here to help you."

"Yeah, demon, I know. Still though. Thank you."

For a moment, she didn't say anything and he was honestly starting to drift off when she spoke.

"Did you need something else?"

"Huh?"

"Were you still hungry or-"

"No."

"Oh." Again, she paused. "Then…are you leaving?"

That made the slayer laugh slightly though he didn't open his eyes.

"You kickin' me out, demon?"

"No, but-"

"I'll go in a minute," he mumbled. "Just let me rest here for a second, huh?"

Mira glanced back at him a few times, but he didn't seem to be anything other than tired. Usually at that point, he'd be hitting on her or trying to get her out of her dress. She knew that he had to really be out of it and, well, there was no reason to disturb him. Especially if all he was doing was sleeping.

He was too. Deeply. He hadn't been sleeping well at night and, apparently, it was catching up with him then. Laxus had no idea what time it was or where he was, really, when he woke up some time later to a darkened kitchen and no one else around.

Then the old and lingering scents of his son and Mirajane hit him and he knew he was still in the Strauss house.

"Mira," he breathed as he blinked, looking around. She wasn't there though and, with a sigh, he got to his feet before walking off.

There were no lights on in the house and, assuming that her room was still the one at the end of the hall he went and knocked gently against the door.

"Mmmm?"

"It's me." He opened the door slowly to find her already in bed, the darkness in the room not giving him much to look at. He could tell, still, that she was lying in bed, a top the covers, curled up. "I just wanted you to know I was leaving."

Mirajane pushed up then, reaching over to turn on the lamp by her bed so the could look at one another. Laxus would be lying to say that he wasn't disappointed that her bed wear was not in the least bit attractive, but then again, they weren't as young as they used to be. He would take what he could get.

"You didn't have to come tell me."

"I know."

"I assumed you would eventually."

"Yeah, well, I just thought I should thank you again. For real. Without being rude and yawning halfway through."

Mira laid back down, though she was still glancing over at the door. "Well, thanks for keeping me company tonight."

Grunt. He glanced around. "It's quiet without Lisanna around."

"Lisanna hasn't lived here since-"

"I know. But I always picture her as so," he told he with a slight shrug. "Annoying the heck out of us as we're trying to hookup or asking me to let her train with the Thunder Legion because Elfman's getting on her nerves."

"You guys were pretty cute together," Mira mumbled. "Back then."

"Before she hated me."

"She doesn't hate you."

"Well, she doesn't like me."

"She has no reason to," she told him. "The only reason she did before we because you and I… But these past few years, there's been no reason for you two to be more than guild members."

They were talking then. Really talking. And, slowly, Laxus walked further into the room, shutting the door behind him.

"You need a new house."

"Why's that? It's just me and Orion. Really not even him now," she said. "He's never home. He takes jobs constantly. I don't think he likes it here."

"That's not true."

"Why's it not?" Mirajane shut her eyes then. "I messed up."

"What are you talking about? Orion's great. He-"

"He is," she agreed. "But I never made him make any real friends in the guild or even in town. He doesn't have anything that makes him want to stick around."

"You make him wanna stick around."

She snorted. "Don't you mean that you do?"

"Huh?"

"The only time that he ever stays for more than a few days at home is when he knows that you're going to invite him to one of those little get-togethers you have with the Thunder Legion," she said. Then she opened her eyes and glanced at him. "Thanks for not getting him drunk again. You're such a role model."

"Mirajane."

"You're all he talks about," she told him then. "I mean, more than before. Before it was just him bragging about you from afar. Now though he thinks that the two of you are buddies and that you're, like, grooming him to become one of his boys. Like Freed and Bickslow."

"I can't tell if you're happy or if you-"

"I just don't want him hurt, Lax. That's all."

"And he's not going to be." He came even closer. "Honest, demon. If he thinks we're friends or something, isn't that what we want?"

"What we want, huh?"

"Well, sure. You want me to be around him and I-"

"I never said that I wanted that."

"You sure hint at it enough," he grumbled.

"Laxus-"

"I don't know what's wrong with me letting him hang out with us," he said still coming closer. "If you want me to put a stop to it though-"

"Of course I don't. I only… Just don't get my son drunk anymore."

"I do it one time, months ago now, and you won't leave me alone about it."

"That's called being a parent, Laxus. You'd know that if-"

"I thought," he grumbled as he came to a stop at her bedside, "that we could get through one, happy, peaceful day without fighting. Can we not, demon? Are we that screwed now that we can't just leave things peacefully?"

"Considering you for some reason are refusing to leave-"

"I just," the slayer sighed as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed, "like the boy hanging out with me."

"Worshipping you," she corrected. "You always like anyone who worships you."

"Well, it definitely factors in, yeah."

"Laxus, go away."

He just sat there though, hands in his lap, thinking. Then he said, "You're wrong though, you know."

"About what?" she asked, figuring the only way to get rid of him was to just let him get whatever it was out of his system.

"That I'm the only reason he sticks around," he told her. "He-"

"You are. You're his hero."

"Maybe," he agreed. "But that's not the only reason he sticks around."

"Oh yeah?"

Nodding, he said, "He loves you so much."

"Laxus-"

"He does," he insisted. "I can't get away from you when I'm at the hall, but hell, if I bring him somewhere with me, you're all he talks about. When talks, I mean. He mostly gets real nervous and doesn't say much, but when he starts talking, like if I'm discussing battles and jobs with Freed and Bickslow, he won't pipe in with his own."

"No?"

With a shake of his head, he told her, "He talks about all the great things his mother's done. How great a mage you are. How you're too modest to brag, but that you're way stronger than most the other members. Even Erza. He likes to say that for some reason. That you're stronger than Erza."

"I'm not."

"You don't think so, but I wouldn't wanna be anywhere near the two of you if you went at it," he said with a slight grin. "But man, that boy really thinks you're something."

"We never talk about stuff like that," she told him. "I don't talk to him about-"

"Someone does," he said with a shrug. "Probably your brother and sister."

"Mmmm."

"I mean, he talks a lot about Erza too." Laxus sounded less enthused with that. "A lot. And, I mean, hell, Erza's strong, but some of those stories sound a little slanted. I think she's feeding them to him."

"Probably," she whispered. "They spend a lot of time together. She trained him, really, with his bows."

"I know."

"He's pretty lucky, I think."

"What do you mean?"

Shrugging as best she could from the position she was in, Mirajane said, "All the kids in the guild have strong parents, I know. Like Radic or Jules. All of them. But he literally had a whole class of S-Class wizards bringing him up."

"Two."

"Hmmm?"

"He had two," he repeated with a slight sight. "You and Erza. I-"

"You had a lot to do with him too," she told him. "Not directly, but he's always loved you. It's weird. Is it just something that he feels? Inside? That he should love you? Or did you win him over without meaning to?"

"I dunno."

"I like to think that it's a mixture," she told hi with a slight grin. "That it's partially just something he knows deep down should be and somewhat that you're just so great."

"You're making me blush."

She kicked at him. "You know what I mean."

Reaching over, he only gently laid a hand on her leg, stilling it. Mira froze at that, but he just kept his hand there, not moving it up or away.

"If you asked him, Mira," he said then, softly, "to stay with you, to stay in Magnolia more, he would. He-"

"I'm not going to hold him back, Lax," she told him with a sigh. "He wants this and he's good at it. He's so good at his magic. And I know I'm biased, but-"

"No, he is," he told her softly. "He-"

"Silly." She giggled then. "You're just as biased at me."

Laxus blinked. "I guess I am."

"He wants to be S-Class, Lax."

"I know. He-"

"No." She shook her head. "For you."

"For me? What do you-"

"So that he can prove himself to you. It's silly, huh?" Then she laughed some more. "He also wants to fight Erza or beat her or something, but I think that's a less cute motivation."

"He'll make it," he promised her. "I mean, I'm not saying that I'll make sure of it or anything, but he has as good a chance as any of those kids around his age. I thought that Gajeel's asshole would make it first, but here we are. I want Orion to have it more than him anyhow."

"I want Master to hang on until then," she whispered. "I don't know if it'll make a difference to him, but Orion loves him so much that-"

"It will." He gripped her leg then. "Gramps loves him. He…he'd care."

Shifting slightly, she told him, "I don't think he's going to stay."

"Gramps? He's bad, demon, I know, but-"

"No. Orion."

"What do you mean?"

"His only goal here has been to prove himself to you," she told him. "To become S-Class and get you to notice him. I'm afraid that…that if he gets that finished, he'll be finished. He won't need Fairy Tail anymore."

"Where else would he go?"

"I don't know."

"He doesn't have to be in Magnolia to be a part of Fairy Tail," he reasoned. "He can travel."

"I'm afraid of that too."

"I just told you that if you tell him that you want him to stick around, he'll-"

"I don't want to hold him back, Laxus. From anything. That's selfish," she said. "It wouldn't be fair to keep him from having fun because I'm lonely."

"You're lonely, demon?"

That got her to take a pause, if only for a second. Then, slowly, she said, "Yeah, Laxus, I am. I'm tired of going to bed alone. I'm tired of being all by myself in this house. I'm tired of _occasionally_ having a date, maybe having a guy interested in me for awhile, but it not working out. I want to be in love again. Really in love."

Letting out a breath, he said, "Then why don't you?"

"What?"

"There's tons of men, demon, that would be with you. That would love you." Glancing at her then, he said, "The boy's getting older. And so are you. Just… I don't want you to be unhappy, waiting on me or-"

"I'm not."

And that was flat too. Truthful. And, honestly, a little hurtful.

"I just-"

"I know that me and you aren't going to work," she told him. "I'm over that. Honest, I am."

"You're not over it," he grumbled. "And neither am I."

"No, I am," she insisted. "I'm not over you, fine, but the idea of us growing old together? Definitely."

"Then what's holding you back?" he asked with a frown. "Huh? Surely you can find a man. I mean, if you can't, then I would love to know how half the disgusting looking-"

"I have a teenage son, a demanding job, still sleep with you, what? Every two years or so? Not to mention-"

"I can make two of those go away."

"What?"

Shaking his head slightly, Laxus said, "If you want some time off, Mira, just say so. I can give it to you. You deserve it. And I…I want you to be happy. I love you. And I do want to be with you. But I can't. And I never will be. If it'll make you happier, for us to be around one another less, then let's… Honestly, this time, let's just…not. The guild's a big place. Magnolia's even bigger. And-"

"Every single time you say that-"

"Then I'll try harder," he told her, voice harsh then. "I have to try harder. It's not fair to you. Fuck, Mira. You don't think I don't notice? I do. You're all lonely and shit and it's my fault and I just…" He was grimacing then, hard. "I'm horrible. Fucking horrible."

Mira was too tired to play into him that night and only rolled her eyes. "You know, dragon, sometimes you come off as really conceited."

"Huh?"

"You're not as big a factor in my life as you like to delude yourself into believing," she said with a frown. "I love you, I had a son by you, and yes, sometimes we still sleep together. But I do have other relationships. And no, you're not the reason that most of them have ended."

"Oh." That brought the grimace down. "W-Well-"

"It just always gets to that serious point," she went on. "Where I have to introduce him to Orion and I just… When Ori was younger, I used that as an excuse. That I didn't want him to be around a guy that I wasn't sure would stick around. But now It's just… I can't talk to him about… He doesn't see me in that way. I don't even date if he's not out on a job anymore, or away from the house for some reason. And I've never brought a man back here. Never. With or without him being around."

"He's not a baby, Mira," Laxus told her then. "He knows that you're a woman. You have…needs or-"

"Ew, gross, Laxus-"

"You do," he told her. "Everyone does. And it's your house, you know. If you want to bring men here, do it. He's not a little kid. He should understand."

"You really don't understand being a parent, do you?"

Apparently not.

"I just don't get-"

"It's awkward," she told him. "For one thing. He's old enough to know, yes, Laxus, that I'm an adult and I do adult things. That also means that he's old enough to know if a man's spending the night, that we're… No. I can't do that."

"Man, Mira, do you think the boy doesn't know where he came from or something? Obviously, you have sex. I mean-"

"Shut up."

"No. I'm just trying to say-"

"He thinks that I'm…heartbroken over his father. Or that I'm waiting for him to come back. Or something," she said. "I think. Or he just doesn't' like to think about his mother as someone who has sex. That's not so abnormal, you know."

Grunt. "I just don't see what's keeping you from…being in love. If that's what you want."

"It is what I want," she told him with as light nod. "I want someone that takes me places and that I can do things for. I miss sleeping next to someone or cooking for a man. I even miss the stupid stuff, like doing his laundry or-"

"We're so different."

"Huh?"

"I don't miss being in love at all," he told her. "I mean, I'm in love with you, of course, but-"

"Shut up."

Shrugging, he said, "I am. But I mean that I don't miss all those cutesy, dating things that you have to do when you're with someone. At all."

"Right. You just like getting down to the screwing, huh?"

Narrowing his eyes at her, he said, "I'll have you know that I take those women on damn dates and buy them nice jewelry after. Thank you."

"Laxus."

"I can't love anyone else," he told her simply, shaking his head. "I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you, but I have. I wouldn't want to risk losing someone else."

Mira only hummed. "Orion's too old now, I know, to have a father, a real father, that raises him or something, but I want him to love the guy as much as I do. I want someone that he can talk to and that will help him with all his problems and-"

"I said you could fall in love, demon," Laxus grumbled. "I didn't say you could sell off my son on the man as well."

"Laxus-"

"He doesn't need another man in his life," he insisted. "He has Bickslow and Elfman and even me. He's fine."

"If I'm in love, Laxus, it's going to be hinged on Orion's approval."

"That's your problem, Mira. You keep thinking that the boy has a say in what you do. He doesn't."

"He has a say in all things," she told him. "I can't love someone that Orion doesn't love too."

"What are you gonna do, huh? If the boy just doesn't want you to date? Huh? Then what?" He shook his head. "You gotta start thinking about yourself."

"Oh? Do I?"

"Yeah, you-"

"I can't," she told him. "It doesn't work that way. Orion's my son. For life. He didn't ask me to come into this world. I brought him into it. That means that he's above me. Always. That's just how things go, Laxus."

"That's not fair."

"If I was waiting around for my life to be fair, I wouldn't get very far."

"If he loves you," Laxus told her simply, "he'd want to see you happy. You think I want to see you with someone? But I'd put up with it if-"

"The love I have for Orion and that he has for me is far more pure than anything you've _ever_ had for me," she told him. "So don't compare the two. Ever."

He looked up then, at the ceiling, hand still resting against her leg. Slowly he began stroking it.

"I just don't think he'd dislike it was all I was saying," Laxus told her. "I mean, if you're really happy with the guy and he's not an ass to you, I'm sure Orion will be fine with it."

She just let out slight breath. "You're right about one thing, anyhow."

"What's that?"

"I am getting older."

"We all are."

"And I want another baby before I get too-"

"Wait, what?" Finally, he removed his hand. "Mirajane-"

"Not with you."

"Well, obviously."

Glancing at him, she said, "I never got to be happy when Orion was growing up. Not really. I was dealing with you and was depressed and… I just want to be pregnant and I want the guy to love me and I want to do it right. Orion's enough, of course, but I just want to do it for real this time."

He could deal with her being with another man. Loving? Fine. But for some reason, the thought of her having a child with another person bothered him.

Deeply.

"Do you…wanna get married?"

"Well, of course, Laxus."

"Why's that an of course? You had Orion without being married."

That got him a kick. A hard one.

"What difference does it make to you anyways? You were just saying a minute ago that if I did fall in love, you'd be able to just leave me alone, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but…" He didn't know what to say.

"It'll probably never happen anyways," she told him, as if to put him at ease.

"Why's that?" he mumbled, still slightly bothered.

"It's all just a dream, Lax," she told him. "What are the chances of me meeting a guy, falling in love, getting married, and having a baby at this point?"

"Are you that down on yourself, woman?" He snorted. "Nearly every guy in the fucking guild would do all that for you."

"I'm not in love with anyone in the guild," she told him.

"Love's a joke anyways," he told her. "What good has it done anyone? You're better off with someone that just cares for you and that you can have fun with. Love me. Marry a guy that can care for you and give you what you want."

"Who said I loved you?"

That got a bigger snort. "Don't annoy me, demon. We're having a nice time here."

"I wouldn't even know what to do," she admitted then. "If I lived with a man again. Orion's the only person I've lived with for years now. It would be so…weird."

Looking back down at his lap, he said, "You even talk yourself out of your dreams when you're just telling them to me."

"W-What?"

"We've gone, in this very short time, from you telling me about how great it would be, to fall in love again, to you telling me Orion won't let you. When I proved that's not true, you told me that you would like to, would want to get married and have a baby and just this great life, but it'll never happen because you'll never find someone who would want that with you. When I tell you that you're wrong, you tell me that it's just a dream and that it'd been weird anyways." Shaking his head, he said, "Just want something for yourself and get it, demon. Stop talking yourself out of it. You're so deserving, Mirajane. Of everything."

"Lax…"

"Hmmm?"

"You deserve to be happy too," she said, glancing over at him. "Really, dragon, you-"

"I am happy."

"No, you're not. You can't be."

"I don't want what you want," he told her. "I don't want to be in love again. I have you. I have the boy. I don't need another woman or another family. Do I have you two the way I want? No. But you're still there. You're both still in my life. I get to see you nearly every single day. I have the guild, I have the Thunder Legion, Mira, I have everything. It's you that's not happy and that I worry about."

For a minute or two, that fell between them and, honestly, Laxus was starting to feel tired again. He knew he needed to get home. He wanted to get home. He just...

"What are you doing?" he breathed as, just when he was about to get up, Mira took to rubbing her foot against his leg, making him glance over at her. "Demon?"

"We both know," she whispered, "that you're not going home tonight."

He just stared at her for a moment before shaking his head. "I just got finished tell you that we can't keep doing this. You need to be happy. And I-"

"And I told you," she repeated, "that you're not as big a portion of my life as you think. You-"

"Every single time we have sex you hate me after," he told her. "And I'm tired of it. I want us to be friends. Normal friends, who-"

"We have a son that you deny because if you don't an old family curse will kill me." She gave him a look. "We'll never be normal."

"Awe, shit," he groaned before reaching into his pocket to make sure he had his wallet. He did. Along with a rubber. Shaking his head still, he said, "You know, demon, this time was all you. And I reserve the right to throw that little fit you do after I proposition you."

"What fit?"

Laxus only gave her a look before kicking his boots off as well as tossing his wallet to the side for a moment.

"You," he said as he moved to shove her on her back, "always act as if I've forced you into something. Like this is all my fault."

"You're very good at acting like you have no fault in anything at all."

"So are you."

"Mmmm." Mira couldn't help it. She hummed the second he settled over her. "I can't remember the last time we were like this."

"Happy?"

"In a bed," she corrected. "I swear, thinking on it, we only ever hookup in such weird-"

"It's 'cause it's all frenzied and shit," he told her. "But I'mma be honest, demon. I'm gettin' too old to be screwing you up against a wall and all that crazy shit. My back hurts sometimes after we-"

"Don't ruin this, Laxus."

"I'm just trying to say that I'm so glad to have you like this again." He pressed a kiss against her neck when she moved to unbutton his purple shirt. "Demon."

"How long's it been?" she whispered, not finishing with the buttons. Instead, she only undid a few before resting a hand against what flesh of his chest was exposed. "Dragon?"

"We haven't been together, since-"

"No." She was staring at him. "How long's it been?"

Oh. He shrugged. "A month ago, when I was out on the conference with another guild, I hooked up with this woman in another town. She was at this bar and I-"

"Was she younger than me?"

"Mirajane-"

"I've seen the women that you hang around," she said simply, going back to the buttons. "Laxus."

"You-"

"I'm not blaming you. I was just curious."

That'd broken the mood some and, when she finished with his shirt, he moved to slip it off as well as get the light.

"You're always young to me, demon," he told her when she started hurriedly on his jeans. Noting her speed, he moved to grab her hands and pull them up, pinning her down. "Calm down. We're alone."

"We are," she agreed as he kissed her head. "Completely."

"We never get this," he said as he let go of on of her hands to start pushing up her nightgown. "Not like how it used to be. And you mean so much more to me than anyone else ever has. Do you know how sad that is? What's your rush?"

She was staring at him then and, just to take one last jab, she said, "Well, you did mention you were getting older."

Ignoring that, Laxus just let out a slight breath. "Tell me this doesn't feel right."

"It does," she whispered, shivering from how cool his hand felt against her flesh. "Dragon."

And it did. There was no regret in it at all, for once and, when it was over, Laxus remembered how good it felt to lay next to the demon. To feel her breathing against him. She was his. Always.

"No," Mira pleaded softly when he moved to get out of bed. "Stay. We're alone. Please, Laxus. Just for the night."

What could he do? She wrapped her arms tightly around one of his and didn't seem to be letting go. Not to mention, he really didn't want to go anywhere either.

Wiggling his arm free, he just as quickly moved to wrap it around her.

"I ain't goin' nowhere," he told her as Mirajane relaxed. "The chance to sleep next to my demon? Like I'd ever pass that up."

She knew he was never big on cuddling, but she also knew that could be her only chance at it with him for the rest of her life, so he just had to get over it that night. Not that Laxus minded. It felt good to hold Mira like that again, even if it were just for a few hours.

"Will you make me pancakes in the morning?" he whispered eventually. Mira only giggled, snuggling even closer to him.

"I will make you all the pancakes you want."

With that in mind and, honestly, more content than he usually was, Laxus was able to drift off, falling back into a deep sleep. It was disturbed, once, when he awoke to find that the bed was cold and Mira wasn't around. That was remedied quickly though when she returned from the bathroom, slipping back into his arms quickly and fall back asleep once more.

He wasn't as easy though.

"Oh, demon," he sighed when he glanced at the clock and saw how close to dawn it was. Time wouldn't slow down for them, but it felt as if it had no problem in speeding up. She was curled up towards him and Laxus couldn't help smiling down at her, resting on his side. "I want you to be happy. I would marry you and give you so many babies if I could. I love you. It's just…I'm sorry."

Then he snuggled and kissed her some because it just sucked, knowing that it was probably the last time they'd fall asleep together like that. Maybe they'd have a chance again, to go at it again, but he knew that she wouldn't be letting him into her home ever again. And she shouldn't. They were starting to get dangerously back to what got them in the mess to begin with and both knew the consequences of that.

Light was shining through the blinds the next time he woke up. He could see the demon still snuggled up under one of his arms, just the top sheet barely covering her body, as well as the clock on the far side of the room telling him she was more than a little late for work.

That, though, wasn't his main concern.

"Shit," he cursed as he heard her bedroom door close. His mind was foggy and things weren't connecting up right, but one scent hit him above the others, even Mira's, and it was fresh. "Shit, shit, shit."

Orion had arrived back at the house only ten minutes prior, excited to rush and tell his mother about the S-Class job he'd just been on with Erza. First though he raided the fridge only to find there wasn't anything in there he wanted and, hoping she'd make him something, he went to go awaken his mother.

Pancakes sounded nice.

Then it happened.

It took a moment, too, to register. That his idol, the only person he'd ever wanted to be like, for as long as he could remember, was in bed with his mother. Really, the fact that any man was in bed with her was a shock, but for it to be Laxus was, honestly, something that shut down his brain.

Laxus knew he was dead then too. He thought that he could get away without the demon hating him. He thought that he would be able to just be with her and keep things from getting messy.

Had he always been that foolish? Or did Mirajane just make him that way?

Somehow he managed to slip out of bed without awakening the demon which was a definite plus. Laxus didn't have a game plan yet, if he was going to make a run for it or track down the boy, but either rested on Mirajane not being up to be involved.

That held through as he hurriedly got dressed, cursing under his breath the entire time though, as always, the profanity did nothing to calm his mind.

What was he going to do?

Once he was dressed, Laxus rushed from the room, closing the door softly behind him before going to check the other bedrooms. He found Orion's, but he wasn't in there and a glance in the living room yielded in the same result. It was when he checked the kitchen that Laxus found him, though it was from glancing out one of the windows.

He was in the backyard.

"You're getting real good at those, kid. Though, I guess you should be now, huh? Moving targets are a lot harder though."

Orion, who was in the backyard, taking target practice as a bullseye he'd spray painted on a tree. Not glancing at the man, he pulled back another arrow and fired. They had no magic attached and, honestly, it wasn't much training for him in it. It was just a way to get out aggression, pure and simple. It had been for years. Radic getting on his nerves? His mother hounding him about chores? Embarrass himself in front of Laxus? There was only one way he could cope with it.

"I guess," Laxus said as he slowly walked through the backyard over to the boy, his boots crunching against the dew stained grass, "that you're used to that too now, huh? I bet you're really-"

"You slept," Orion growled as one of his arrows hit the tree, "with my mother."

That was one thing Laxus liked about the boy. He did know how to get to the root of a problem, no matter how awkward. No easing in on his part. Nope. Went right for the jugular.

"Yeah." Laxus reached a hand up to rub at the back of his neck. "Well-"

"You slept with my mother." The teen wouldn't even glance at him. "I don't want to talk to you."

"Orion, this has nothing to do with-"

"You slept with my mother! What the hell else needs to be said?" He had pulled another arrow out, but instead of releasing it, he turned to glare over at Laxus, bow pointing down. "Just leave me alone."

"It wasn't…like that," Laxus told him. "It had nothing to do with you. We were just…working last night, late, and things happened. That's all."

"Just leave me alone."

"I'm not going to leave you alone." When he took a step closer, it was a cautious one as Orion looked about ready to shoot him with one of those arrows. "I don't want you to be, like, mad at me. Or to upset Mirajane. I-"

"Don't tell me what to do with _my_ mother," the boy growled. "You shouldn't have slept with her!"

"You're right." Laxus nodded at him. "I shouldn't have. I'm sorry."

For a moment, Orion just glared heavily at him before slowly turning to look back at his target. Preparing to shoot off an arrow again, he didn't speak for a few moments.

Then he said, "Have you been doing this? Behind my back? Is that why you're nice to me?"

"What?"

"Is that why you're nice to me?" He let the arrow fly, hitting his mark easily. Moving to pull another form his quiver, he said, "So that you can…sleep with my mother?"

"No." And that came out easily. Because it was true. "Not at all. I…I just think that you're real good, kid. That's all. And-"

"Then this was the first time?"

"Huh?"

"Was this," he growled, still not looking at him, "the first time you and my mother…"

Poor kid was embarrassing himself there.

Not sure what to say and not wanting to completely lie to the boy, in case it came up later, he said slowly, "When we were younger, we used to… You know that me and your mother have always been friends."

He was almost snarling then and, even though he had not a single one of the Dreyar men's features, from his eye brows to his skin tone, for just a second, Laxus saw himself in him.

"So what? You just… You…"

"It's an adult thing," Laxus told him. "It-"

"It's not an adult thing! You were my friend and you slept with my…" For once, his arrow didn't even come close to its mark, missing wildly and flying off to the side of the tree. "That's disgusting."

"We grew up together," he told him simply. Laxus was more caught up in the fact that the boy had just called him a friend. Was that what they were? Friends? "It not something serious. And it won't happen again. I promise you that. Sometimes when you're friends…lines get crossed. And we've both been feeling real down recently. That was all."

That wasn't all. But Orion was tired of stating exactly what it was.

"Look." Laxus was coming closer still until he was right next to the boy. "This would mortify Mirajane if she knew that we… You know that. She's real private about that kind of stuff. She likes to think that you only think that she exists for you and nothing else."

Actually, he did think just that. And it usually worked so well for him. Huh.

"But she doesn't," the older man went on. "She's human, alright? And she deserves to be that sometimes. I know you don't want me telling you how to deal with your mother and, honestly, I don't want to. At all. Mira's just a very good friend to me. That's it. And so are you. I just don't want this to be made into a big deal. If you don't mention it to her, she won't say anything, and we can go on like it's nothing. Alright?"

When Orion glanced at him that time, it was with less anger and more curiosity.

"You knew my father," he said slowly then. "Right?"

"Orion-"

"You owe me," he hissed. "You slept with my mother."

Letting out a long breath, Laxus said, "Your father's long gone. And he's not coming back. And it's not fair to keep asking about him."

"Not fair? It's not fair for her to keep him from-"

"She's the only reason you're around to keep," Laxus told him harshly. "Your father wanted to get rid of you and she kept you. Even when it got her looks or when you kept her up all night or when she felt like shit because you kept asking her about it. So don't tell me what Mirajane didn't do for you. She's done more than my mother or father ever did for me. She fucking loves you. And if she says that she doesn't want to talk about it, that means you shut up and listen to her."

It was there then. Laxus was back in control. He could tell too as Orion only looked to the ground then, not saying anything.

The slayer swallowed then and sighed before saying, "I had a father once. I mean, everyone does, but mine was around at one time. You know what he did? He put a fucking lacrima in me. You know why? So he could fucking harvest it later. Take it right out of my body. Kill me. For power."

Glancing at the other guy, Orion said, "Ivan. I've heard of him."

Laxus nodded. "He wasn't a good person. I was better off without him. And see, Gramps, he knew that. He always knew it. He tried to shield him from me. Tried to separate us. Protect me, yeah? But I was too boneheaded to see it. When he exiled him from the guild, I yelled at him. Gramps. Master. I was so pissed. For years I hated him for it. I wasted all those years, being mad at the wrong person. I was loving and longing for the person that would waste me in a second as the person stopping that from happening got all my hatred and revulsion. Why? Because he loved me?" Shaking his head, the man said, "Don't waste the years you have with Mirajane doing that. Your father was an ass. He… He didn't deserve either of you. He-"

"Did you…" Staring hard at him then, Orion asked, "Did you mess up my parents? Were you-"

"What? No." The boy was screwing with his head then, as, really, in a completely different way, yes, it was his fault that Orion's parents weren't together. Namely he was one of the parents and his family trials followed him into the relationship. "I didn't- Look. The point is that you're just better off without him and-"

"Is he still alive?" Orion was staring hard at him. "Do I know him? She always says that he watches over me and-"

"He does." Laxus bowed his head then. "And now I have to get out of here before she wakes up."

"No, you-"

"Don't say anything to her, alright?" He stared him in the eyes then. "I mean it, Orion. She would just die."

"I know." He let out a slow breath then, knowing that the moment was over. "I won't say anything."

"You're a good kid." Reaching out, Laxus ruffled the boy's white locks. "And you're a damn good shot."

"But I missed-"

"Did you?" Laxus grinned at him then. "I don't remember that. Do you?"

And then he patted him on the shoulder before turning to walk off.

"I gotta go, kid. My stomach's growlin'. I'mma go get some breakfast somewhere." He sighed. "Maybe some pancakes or somethin'."

Orion only watched him go and, once he was gone, couldn't find his focus anymore. He didn't want to practice any longer. It felt silly then. Everything did.

So Laxus had slept with his mother. Right. He wouldn't be able to get that image out of his head for a long time and, now, everything was being called into question along what sorta friendship the two always had had, but that was all okay. Orion could get over that.

Slowly.

He was still ticked at the man. It was just an unspoken law, Orion thought, that you didn't…do that with other guys' mothers. If it wasn't, it should have been.

"I thought I saw you outside," was the first thing his mother said to him when he came through the backdoor twenty minutes later. He'd just sat out there for awhile, thinking, until finally, his hunger couldn't be ignored anymore. She was flustered, he could tell, and hadn't showered yet, still in a nightgown even though it was nearly noon. "Ori. What were you doing? You just got home. Did your job go bad?"

Slowly, he shook his head, coming closer.

"Then wh- What's wrong?"

He just came to hug her though, pulling the woman away from the counter, where she'd been getting started on making something. Resting against her, he said, "Nothin'. I just missed you."

"Oh." Mira giggled then before hugging him back. "I missed you too. I worry about you, you know."

"I know." Glancing over at the counter, he saw a bowl sitting there and frowned. "What are you making?"

"Pancakes. Your favorite, right?" She let him go then with a grin. "Is that good?"

"That's great," he sighed as he went over to the table. There was a stack of letters sitting there, making him frown. "What are-"

"Oh." He could see it too, the blush that spread across his mother's fair skin then. She tried to hide it by turning around to face the counter. "Master stopped by yesterday to give me those. They're apology letters. One of the teams wrecked a whole costal strip. Can you believe that?"

"No," he whispered, though he was thinking about something entirely different. "I can't. At all."

"He wants me to mail them," she sighed. "I was supposed to at my lunch break, but I overslept today. Your poor aunt is probably cursing me about now. I'll drop those by and then get to work. After I make you breakfast, of course."

Of course.

Sinking down in his seat, Orion found that he wasn't as hungry then as he was…not nervous or sick or…

It wouldn't have been that big of deal, had it been anyone than Laxus. As annoyed as he was with the man, his mother wasn't that much better. She knew that he held the man in such a high esteem, but she still… And he didn't care what Laxus said. Just because they used do, well, whatever it was that they did it didn't make it okay. Things were different then.

Things were very different.

"Ori?" Mirajane glanced over at him. "Are you alright?"

No. Things were all mixed up now. He'd never be able to honestly think that Laxus thought anything about him anymore. He would just be the kid that Laxus had to bother with, to get with the demon Mirajane and that ruined everything.

But he'd promised Laxus that he'd keep it to himself. That he wouldn't tell his mother. And it really wasn't a bad idea. She wouldn't even admit to him that she dated (which he pretended she didn't do and would act like he didn't hear her and his Aunt Lisanna talking about it if he happened to be in hearing rang). It would be worse on her, knowing that he knew, than just him keeping it to himself and dealing with it alone.

After all, if she did things for him, he did a lot for her. They were family. She was all he had, when it all boiled down. He didn't have a father or siblings, but he had her. He would always have her.

"Yeah," he whispered, forcing a grin over at her. "I'm fine."


	7. Birthright

Chapter 7: Birthright

It wasn't like Orion was just able to put out of his mind what happened between his idol and mother. No way he would ever be able to. Every time he saw his mother glance at Laxus or the man spoke to her, he was on edge. At first, the thought of them together repulsed him (for good reason) and, though he didn't like it, the thought of it did bring one interesting option into play.

What if they…actually got together? And then Laxus would be his mother's boyfriend and then he would have even more access to the man. They would spend, no doubt, every single day together. And yeah, it would be disgusting to think about, his mother being with Laxus (or any man), but he figured he could stomach it if it meant that the man was around more.

Or forever. Because, deep down in a place he didn't even acknowledge, he had some sort of hope that maybe…they'd get married. And then Laxus would be his stepfather and it would just be great and everything would be perfect and he wouldn't even care much, what happened to his real father then.

It was a dream, he knew, but just as nice of one as all his others. They could be a pretty great family together, he figured. The master and his mother already got along so well (which was clear after what he'd came home to) and he and the man were on pretty good terms. He wasn't even angry with him anymore. Really. Just…well, he really wished he hadn't found out about it, but not angry.

The longer time went on though and the less he saw the Master and his mother even interacting outside of work, Orion was pretty certain it was just as much a pipe dream as the one that he could ever become as strong as Laxus. That one was pretty high up there too.

The man was his hero, after all.

He was gone so much around then though, as it was time to start taking even more jobs, to impress the Master and hope for his favor when it came to S-Class trials. Not that Orion thought he had to worry much as, the way he saw it, by taking him into his inner circle and practically making him one of his boys, the man had already shown that he was definitely getting his shot that year.

That only got him hit though, when he said as much to Erza.

"Do not take this as a game," she told him harshly as the boy only rubbed at his head. "Master Laxus has been very kind to you over the past few years, but do not take it for granted. All he has done for you has no bearing on the trials and you are foolish to think otherwise. Even bloodlines are not strong enough to sway them, but you think that his being so kind to you is?"

"You didn't have to hit me," the boy grumbled simply. He was spending the day over at her house, supposedly training, but mostly just helping the woman clean up around the place. With that done, he'd sat down to lunch, but apparently, Erza would rather assault him instead. "I was just joking."

"Well," she huffed, "do not joke on such serious matters."

"You know," he grumbled, "when I finally do become S-Class, I'm totally going to get back at you for all the things you've done to me."

"Being S-Class would not mean that you will outrank me," she told him simply. "And besides, what things? All I recall are good things."

"You just hit me!"

Erza didn't seem to get that, but it was okay. He wasn't sticking around long at her house that day anyways. She was going off on a mission and, honestly, he wanted to get some real training in. Part of impressing for the S-Class trials was taking jobs, sure, but another big half of it was how much you've improved physically and magically. He had aim down, sure, in the bag easily, but his transformation magic could always use a little work. And recently he'd been slacking on learning new spells to infuse with his arrow, so he headed out to the woods to get to work on all that.

It was while he was out in the forest though that he ran into Laxus. And for once, honestly, he could say that it was completely by accident. He wasn't seeking the man out or even hoping to find him. Not at all. Really, it seemed more like the slayer was seeking out him. Sorta.

"I thought I smelled your scent," Laxus remarked where he stumbled upon the clearing the boy was in. He wasn't doing anything then, training wise, and was instead seated on a stone at the edge of the clearing, sharpening some of his arrows. He'd heard the man approach and didn't look up in shock at his appearance. "It's dangerous to train out here all alone."

Still, he didn't look up. "I'm not a little kid."

Laxus, who had his hands in his pockets, coat hanging off his shoulders, only stared at him. Orion seemed to have forgiven him, for sleeping with Mirajane, but their relationship had taken a big change. He seemed less in awe of the man and more neutral to him. He could tell that he wasn't pissed over it any longer, but still, Laxus knew it would take some time to get things back how they were.

"Okay," the man said slowly as he only came further into the clearing. "Sharpening arrows, huh?"

"Yep," Orion remarked dryly, running the metal along the arrows edge. "Has to pierce flesh."

"You do know that we don't kill our enemies in this guild, right?"

Shrugging, Orion didn't glance up. "Never heard anything about not roughing them up a bit before you sending them on their way though."

There was never any doubt for Laxus, really. That was his boy. Coming to a stop in front of him, the slayer gave him a once over.

"You ain't even gonna ask me where I've been?" Laxus asked. "You think that I just came out here, to have this conversation or somethin'?"

"You're comin' back from some conference or something, right?" Orion still wouldn't look up from him. "Or something?"

"Or something."

"And you couldn't take the train because you get motion sick and you hate it, so you'd rather trek through the forest." That time, he did glance up at him, blue eyes meeting his. It was not nearly as nice as when they belonged to his mother. "It's not some big secret. You can't travel so you come through here."

"I didn't say it was a secret."

That only got a shrug from the teenager which, Laxus knew he shouldn't care about. At all. Orion worshipped him for years and he acted indifferent. Why couldn't he pull it off when the kid wasn't?

"You weren't at a conference though."

"Huh?"

"Bickslow and Freed were talking and you were taking some woman out on a trip, right?" He went back to his arrows. "I heard them."

Considering he hung out with the men so frequently, it wasn't the first time that he'd heard of Laxus' many exploits (when else was he supposed to brag about them if not when Freed and Bickslow were around), because he had. A lot. Even before that, it was well known that the man got around. Especially when he first became the Master.

…The more he thought it, it kinda made sense that Laxus and his mother…

No. It still didn't.

"Yeah." Laxus only shrugged a little. "Took her to some hotel on the beach. Kept complainin' about how I never took her anywhere and- And I shouldn't be talking about this to you. Never mind."

"I just told you," the boy grumbled, "that I'm not a kid."

There. Laxus was back in the power position. And, with a toothy grin, he said, "So what then? You sayin' you've had a woman before?"

He thought that the boy would blush or look way or grumble out an obvious lie and they could just be done with it. There. Laxus would be in control again and there was nothing Orion could-

"Yeah, I've slept with a girl before." He was still messing with his arrows. "I have a girlfriend."

That was news to Laxus. And, with a frown, he said, "Who?"

"You don't know her."

"I don't know her or she doesn't exist?"

Laxus was feeling something in him. Something…fatherly. Orion, however, felt like he was being teased. And, well, considering the source, there was a very good chance that he was.

"You don't," he grumbled, "know her."

"Come on." Laxus lifted his foot to kick at the boy gently. "Which one is it? One of the Salamander's brats? Gray's? Who?"

He shoved at Laxus' foot. "She's not from the guild."

Laxus dropped his foot. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"I take it she don't live in Magnolia either."

"Nope."

Snickering, the man said, "And nobody knows about her either, huh? Not your mom or your aunts or you-"

"What difference does it make?"

With a grin, Laxus moved to take a seat on the rock as well, Orion having to scoot over some to accommodate this.

"I had one of those," he told him. "I mean, I had a lot of those, I guess, when I think about it." Orion only rolled his eyes as the man continued. "But in the beginning, there was just one. You know, the usual. I'd go see her after every job and she'd wash my wounds and I'd buy her things. It's was a shithole of a village. I saved it once. When I first became S-Class. I'd go back there constantly. Then weekly. Then monthly. And then I had other women to fill the void."

That time, the teen only blinked. "It's not like that."

Laxus was reminiscing then, mostly, but still shook his head then. "Of course not, boy. You love her, huh?"

Well, that was a rather embarrassing thing to say to your idol, whether he'd broken your trust and faith a little or not.

"I dunno," Orion said, glancing at the man. "Did you love that girl?"

"What girl?"

"The one you were just-"

"When I was a kid and didn't get what it meant? Sure. I did. I guess."

"Then you didn't?"

"At the time I did," he told him slowly. "I mean…it's complicated. You wouldn't get it."

Right. Like that was something to say to a kid. Snorting, Orion glared down at the arrow in his hand. Laxus only glanced up at the sky, thinking.

"I only ever loved one woman," he told him slowly, as if dropping the façade, if only for a moment. Orion couldn't figure out why, but Laxus knew. The other main guys in Orion's life were an overgrown, (faux) man and a crazy seith with little wooden babies that he spent more time with than he ever did women. Mostly Orion just had women to guide him and, knowing the ones involved like Laxus did, that just spelled disaster. No, he'd have to be the one to offer out some fatherly advice, it seemed. It was only fitting. "But I'm an ass. And things got tangled. And…"

Orion wasn't sure anymore what the man was trying to tell him. He definitely wasn't teasing him, that was for sure, but was he trying to…give him life advice? Or something? That didn't seem exactly right either.

But it was. Laxus was trying to figure out not only how to tell the boy what he was feeling, but exactly what it was that he was feeling. He wasn't sure. Just that he should tell something to Orion. Something important.

Like…not to get anyone pregnant that he might really care about because she would die. But not in those words because then he'd have to explain why that would happen and, well, Laxus just wasn't up for a big reveal that day. Or any day.

That didn't manage to come out though as Orion only glanced at him again before speaking for himself.

"I just thought that…you know, that you were interested in…" Then he had to clear his throat and work up some courage. The tides had shifted and they were not in his favor. He knew, of course, that it was just Laxus that he was talking to. Nothing serious. The two played cards together. The man respected him. One day they'd be at the same magical level. Still though, the words got a little caught in his throat and needed some forcing to get out. "My mother."

Laxus only blinked. "W-What?"

"Nothing. Never mind. I just meant-"

"Orion-"

"No, I-"

"Me and Mirajane are friends," he told him then. "That's all. Very good friends. And… I thought we weren't going to talk again about-"

"We're not. I already said never mind. Just forget it."

"The demon's too good for me," the man told him simply. "Way too good."

"Yeah, whatever."

"I'm not kidding, Orion." Shaking his head, he said, "Your mother deserves someone a lot better than me. And she knows that. She doesn't even want me. It was just… It was stupid, for us to… But it happened. And it's over. So don't think about it anymore. You're not even supposed to know about it."

With a frown, he moved to set the arrow in his hand down before pulling another from his quiver. "Yeah, okay."

Reaching out, he tapped the boy in the back of the head, messing up his spiked, white hair. When the kid glared at him, Laxus spared him a rare grin.

"Your mom thinks you're out on jobs all the time," the man said. "So you're actually with this girl, huh?"

"I am out on jobs," Orion told him with a shrug. "Most of the time."

"I miss that."

"Huh?"

"The adventure," Laxus told him. "Going places. Now that I'm the Master…"

"It's an overrated dream?"

Laxus paused for a second before nodding. "I guess you could put it like that, yeah."

"It's like what they say, right?" He fully turned to look at the man then. "Be careful what you wish for."

Slowly, Laxus nodded. "Yeah. Be careful what you wish for."

Orion could remember the weeks after that passing very quickly. The trials were upon them again in no time and, that year, there was no way he was letting anything stop him from getting there.

Mirajane declined going that year as well, though it had less to do with him and more to do with Master Makarov.

"I'll just stay here, Lax," she told him one day in the office. He was at his desk, smoking a cigar and glaring down at some papers on his desk as she stood to the side of it, staring worriedly at him. "And take care of him. Then you can go without worrying, huh?"

"Not worried," he told her before taking a puff of his cigar. "I know what's gonna happen."

"Dragon-"

"I just want to get the trials over with so I can get back home before. That's all."

Reaching out, Mirajane rested a hand against his head, stroking his hair tenderly. "You know I'll take good care of him."

Laxus knew she was trying to be soothing, but really, the gesture felt more like something she'd do to her son than to him. Still, he only nodded.

"Yeah, demon," he sighed. "I know."

"He'll be in good hands."

"He'd rather be with you than me anyways," he said, trying to laugh. It didn't come out quite right though.

"Don't say that."

"It's true."

"Oh, Lax."

"I've made my peace with it," he told her simply before taking another puff of his cigar. "People die. It happens. He's had more years than most get. He's in pain now and I want it to end. He's ready, so I am too."

Her hand stilled then and he could feel the solicitous gaze she was casting his way, but he only grinned, wry as it was.

"I got somethin' better to focus on right now," he reminded. "You know."

"I know."

"It's not every day that a father gets to kick his son's ass."

Instead of mentioning the fact that Laxus very much so had made it sure that he _didn't_ have a son, she just smiled back at him. "Or that a father gets his handed to him."

Glancing up at her, he said, "He has to make it to the end first, you know."

"I know."

"And keep Gajeel's little bone crusher from ruining it before it begins." That time got a long inhale before he blew out the smoke. "Of course, considering he's getting another shot at it too, I don't see that as a problem."

"They might kill one another," she pointed out. "On the trials. If they go up against one another."

"Eh. Worth the risk."

And was it, too, for the two teenagers when they heard their names called a few days later. Radic had all his stupid guild friends around him, cheering him on, but still, Orion felt his gaze fall to him rather quickly and, when he returned it from across the hall, they had a moment to just glare at one another.

As far as they were both concerned, making a fool of the other out there on the island would be just as important as coming back S-Class. And if they couldn't have one, the other would do just as nicely.

That night, Radic went out with his father, for a few last minute pointers or whatever and Orion, after promising his mother he'd see her before he set off the next day, went to see Makarov.

The man wasn't well and, fearful that he might not be around when he got back from the trials, he wanted to spend as much time with him as possible.

"You've done well," the man told him as Orion sat as his bedside, watching him. They were in the former master's tiny house and were completely alone. The teen's mother would be along eventually, with the man's meal, but for awhile, they could speak without the fear of an interruption. "Very well. Whether you make it or not-"

"I am," he told him. "I have to."

Makarov's eyes were shut, but he did smile at that before holding out his hand. Orion was quick to fill it with his own.

"There is something to be said for confidence," he told him simply. "But there is also something to be said against it."

The man's hand was cold in his palm, so Orion just held it tighter, as if to warm it. There was nothing he could do for the frailty, however. He was reminded, if only a little, of a trick the man used to play on him, when he was younger.

"Shake hands, Orion," he'd say, whenever they'd meet and, always the diligent little boy, he would move to do so, gripping the older man's tightly. Makarov would always make his hand grow massively, usually startling the child, who would let go and jump back in fright. "What's wrong, Orion? It's just a hand."

At the moment though, it wasn't just a hand. It was one that the teen had watched get bonier and more wrinkled over the short few years that were his life. And that was outstanding, considering it had been so bony and wrinkled before.

"Hey, Master?"

"Mmmm?" He seemed to be drifting off and Orion knew that he should let him sleep, but there was something he wanted to say first.

"I'm just…" He couldn't help it and hung his head then, hunched over in his chair. "I'm just really glad that you've been there for me. That's all."

Makarov only laid there though and, after a moment, slipped his hand from the boy's before reaching out to pat him on the head instead as Orion just tried hard to hide his sniffles.

"And I," the man whispered, "am just glad that you let me."

The next morning came, inevitably, and Orion was forced to put all thoughts of the man out of his head. He had to. There was no room in there to focus on him, as much as he hated it. He had a shot, finally, at the one thing that every person in the guild dreamt of all their lives. And, on top of that, he had a chance to earn the respect of Laxus Dreyar, his hero to the end.

It was really something to look forward to.

"There's always next year," Mirajane had told him before he left.

"Mom, that's why you say if I don't make it," he complained as she only hugged him. "Which, by the way, I am."

"Mmmm. Just don't get discouraged, okay? I mean-"

"Do you really not have any faith in me at all?"

Of course she did. And he knew it. Usually she was more optimistic, but he figured she was more worried about him getting hurt than anything else. Anyone else in the guild? Let 'em have a melee, all out war if they wanted, until they were all bruised and bloodied. Just not her son. Not her baby. Her siblings? Friends? Her? Fine. Orion was different though. And he always would be.

He needed to keep her out of his mind then too though, of course. It was the only way to sty focused. He had enough arrows to last him, he was pretty sure, and his bow string looked alright. He had a backup, incase he had to restring it, but he hoped that didn't happen.

The whole ride on the ship out there, Radic stared him down. Even with all the other people around, it seemed that Orion was the only one he cared about. It would be nice, the other teen knew, to finally put that rivalry to bed. Because when he became S-Class first, there was nothing the other kid could say to him. Nothing any of them could. All those damn kids of the slayers, they'd have to bow to him. They could have the blood of all the powerful wizards running through them, that was fine, but it was no match for him.

He mostly spent his time staring off the ship, out at the water that surrounded. The deep blue reminded him of his family, given it was about the color of all their shared irises. He was glad that he looked like them and not his stupid father. It made him feel even closer to his mother. He was a Strauss. No matter what.

The island was huge. That was what stuck out to him overall. Not to mention the massive tree. It was all just so encompassing. And…well, he didn't really use word much, but beautiful. Striking, really.

Not that he was there to take in the scenery or anything. No, he'd have time for that when he was the one helping the Master with the trials (which he would, every year, he had no idea why any S-Class wouldn't, it was awesome). Considering he and Laxus were so close already, the man would probably want him around then anyhow.

It was business right from the get go. The second they were on the island, there was something to do. It was Erza that gave them instructions, as the Master was off somewhere, along with the other two S-Class that were there (Jules' mother Juvia and another one of Orion's mother's friends Cana), apparently to be revealed later. In fact, during the entire grueling process, he never even ran into Erza again and not Cana once, until it was all over. Juvia, however, was who he faced off with in the second task.

And damn if he hadn't always underestimated her. He knew, of course, given her status and the stories of how she was before Fairy Tail (though those were few and in between in those days) that she definitely wasn't someone to be taken lightly. She had him trapped in her Water Lock spell to nearly the point of submission until some quick thinking had him transform into Gray Fullbuster and, well, she was much easier after that.

Much.

Hehe. His mother came in handy sometimes after all.

There were other things, of course, but that was his first huge victory on the island, and, well, it was sweet. Then he got stuck walking around for a bit and got to check out the first master's grave. It was all a bit much to take in all at once. He'd heard about the island his whole life and, well, even if he didn't become an S-Class afterwards, he was glad that, at least once, he got to see it.

Although, Orion was slightly disappointed that he never got a chance to face off with Radic. Later he found out that the boy had encountered Cana early on and was taken out. Orion was a tad disappointed, really, as he had hoped to have some grand, final battle with the other teen, but what could you do? Besides, he had himself to focus on.

His magic was severely diminished by the time that he found himself standing before the Master, both just staring at one another, Laxus with his jacket hanging off his shoulders and Orion just trying to catch his breath.

"You made it," the man remarked, though his tone gave nothing away. "Orion."

The boy wasn't sure if he was surprised or impressed, but he knew that it didn't matter. He would have to beat the man which, as he was standing there, crossed his mind truly for the first time was impossible. Laxus was a brute. And he'd had a hard day. The sun was going down and where they were, under the cover of a heavy amount of trees, it was pitch black. Orion was worn out.

There had to be some way to get around the man.

Thinking that perhaps if he caught him off guard he'd have a better shot, he pulled an arrow quickly, on infused with a paralyzing spell. It flew too, right to his target, across the clearing over at where Laxus was standing. He'd opened his mouth to speak, but, quick as a flash, he was just standing there, arrow in hand. Orion thought he was seeing things.

Did the man just catch his arrow?

"I," Laxus grumbled as he tossed it to the ground, "was speaking, you brat."

The Master could catch… Oh, no. How had Orion never thought of that possibility? That was literally his whole attacking force. He shot arrows. But Laxus could catch them. Which meant…

He'd come all that way for nothing? Seriously?

"Now," the man went on as he came closer. "You've made it this far and, now, you're gonna have to prove yourself to me. Which, yeah, I know, won't happen, so here's the deal, huh? You don't have to completely beat me; then we'd never get a new S-Class wizard. Just get me down for more than ten seconds and it's yours, kid. But first," Laxus said, pausing slightly. Orion only moved to pull another arrow from his quiver, though he didn't have time to get it in the bow. No, Laxus was already to his next point. "You gotta prove that you can take a few hits of your own!"

That had to be have been the most blinding pain the teen had ever felt. Laxus shot a blast of lightning at him and, honestly, even the slayer thought he'd over done it. The whole area lit up as the shot made contact and it was all Laxus could do to not bite his tongue completely off.

The kid was supposed to dodge it!

Damn it.

But he couldn't show that he was worried. Or concerned. Just had to stand there, coat still swaying from his shoulders as he stared over at where the boy had fallen. It had been a powerful hit, after all. He figured that he'd give him a chance to shake it off.

Then he didn't get to his feet.

"Come on, kid," Laxus sighed, heading over to him. "If that's all you got, then let's head back to the beach, huh? Maybe in a year or two we can- Orion, it's not a joke. Get up."

He frowned down at the teen when he didn't move in the slightest, just laid there, sprawled out on the ground, eyes closed. For a moment, Laxus only stared. Then, gently, he kicked at the boy. Nothing.

"O-Orion, get up. Boy, seriously." Was he breathing? Laxus couldn't tell. His coat fell from his shoulders then as he moved to get onto his knees, bending over the teen's body. "Orion! Are you… Oh, shit. Mira's gonna… Orion, wake up. I didn't mean to! I- Shit!"

It was the teen's turn to be quick. With reflexes that the dragon could admire, the hand that had loosely been holding that arrow, suddenly sprang up, getting the head in contact with Laxus', the edge knicking his cheek.

"The hell did you-" Laxus stopped speaking then as paralysis took over. Orion only shoved up from the ground, though it wasn't as smooth as he'd have liked as he truly was injured from Laxus' attack, before moving to push the man over before leaning over him that time. From his knees, he moved to hold his bow and arrow over the man, from close range.

"Ha," Orion laughed, grinning over at him as he aimed for the slayer's eye. "Ten seconds, Master, or you get a patch to cover that scar."

Ten seconds had never felt longer. Orion counted it down in his head though and, to his surprise, so was Laxus. Because exactly at ten seconds, one of his hands shot up and socked the boy in the jaw. That could have been a bad call on the part of the slayer, what with him having an arrow trained on his eye, but Orion fell away from him as he let the arrow go, it's trajectory sending it flying across the clearing.

"You little shit," Laxus growled as he only moved to jump the boy and continued his beating. "I was worried about you!"

He took quite the beating too, from the Master, before the man got to his feet and left the boy there, bloodied and bruised, as he went to go retrieve his coat.

"Get up," he growled, not glancing back at him. Orion was just laying there though, not playing that time. He was hurt. "Now." When he didn't move, he glanced back at him. "Get up, Orion, I can't fucking carry you back to the beach. Not if we're going to say that you've made S-Class."

That got him up, though it was with a loud groan and a confused stare intermingled with his grimace of pain.

"Why would we say that?" he asked through clinched teeth. That was more out of pain than anything else. "I lost."

"You did," he agreed. "But that wasn't the wager."

"But-"

"The challenge," Laxus went on as he turned to face him, "was for you to get me down for ten seconds. You did."

"Yeah, but… You could move, couldn't you?" He hung his head then. "I thought that you were paralyzed, but you weren't, were you? You could move the whole time, huh?"

"But I didn't," Laxus told him. "Which means-"

"Which means you cheated."

"No," he said. "It means-"

"Yes, it does! You let me win because you…because…" He wasn't sure why, really, other than what he said next. "Because you like my mother and you think-"

"Hey." Laxus' tone was back to its usual gruffness. "I've told you before, you and your mother are two separate things to me. I don't put up with weak. If you were a little runt, I wouldn't waste my time on you, no matter what Mira is to me. You're here because you deserve it. And I didn't give you anything. You're smart, kid. You got all the way here. And the only reason I wasn't paralyzed is because I'm probably more powerful than what you're used to. Just strengthen the spell from now on and you'll be fine." He was standing above him then and, shocking Orion, held out a hand to the boy. "Now come on. Let's get down to the beach. We got a new S-Class to celebrate."

When the boy took the man's hand, it felt right. And Laxus only lifted him to his feet before shaking his head.

"Your mother sees these bruises and I'll be dead," he grumbled, looking over the teen. "Don't tell her they're all from me, huh?"

They weren't. Even though Laxus was, rightfully so, the toughest thing he'd faced on the island, he was far from the only. Still though, none of that mattered then as it really sunk in.

He was S-Class. Him. Orion Strauss. It felt surreal.

Things only got better down on the beach. Most everyone else had already taken off earlier, as they were all dismissed, but there were a few people still milling about. Erza, of course, was one of them.

And he didn't remember a time he'd really hugged the woman, other than then. She did that thing, sometimes, where she claimed she was hugging him when she'd slam his head into her armor, but he was still pretty certain that was just child abuse, pure and simple.

That time though, it was a real hug, and it felt as good as the Master helping him to his feet.

But still not as nice as his mother.

It was late then and Laxus told him that they could just spend the night camping out on the island, and it sounded great to him. The slayer and him went off from all the others and he didn't even bring his headphones. They just went off, further down on the beach, and watched the stars and Laxus told him all about the island and its lore. Orion only laid there on his back, staring up at the sky, that silly grin never falling from his face. His body hurt and he was pretty sure he'd be sore for weeks, but it was worth it. All of it.

"I love this island," he told Laxus who just laughed and nodded his head.

"It's a great place, isn't it?" The slayer was lying on his back too and moved to hit his hand against his chest, over where his shirt covered his guild mark. "You gonna help me with the trials from now on? Huh? I think Cana's getting tired of having to stay sober for a day to help out and your mother is-"

"Hell yeah." He was quick to nod. "I-"

"Of course," the man went on. "That's a whole year away. I'm sure you got big plans now, don't you? Now that you can take any job you want?"

Slowly, Orion relaxed. "Yeah. I wanna take an S-Class job the second we get back. All alone."

Laxus had to smile too then, remembering the first time he went off on his own. "Is that all you're gonna do?"

"Well," he said slowly, "I'm gonna go see-"

"That girl again?" Laxus groaned. She'd been worked into a few conversations before and, honestly, he was tired of listening about her.

Leave it to his son to be in love and committed and annoying.

It was his first though, so he'd cut him some slack.

"Well, yeah," Orion said, glancing over at the man. "I have to go tell her all about the trials and-"

"And let her heal you back to health?"

That made him look back up at the sky. Instead of answering, he just said, "You know what's next."

"Hmmm?"

"I gotta rise through the ranks," he told him before punching at the empty air above him. "I'm gonna take out everyone above me. The Salamander, Black Steel, Freed, Mom, even you and Erza. It's the only way."

Shaking his head, Laxus said, "I hope you do, boy. I really hope you do."

The next morning, they set sail back for Magnolia bright and early. Orion went to the guildhall first, with his mother in mind, but she wasn't around. His Aunt Lisanna was though, who hugged and kissed him and was really embarrassing (he ate it up though) before she told him that Mira was with Makarov, at the old man's house. Laxus wanted to see his grandfather too, so he accompanied him there.

"I wanna tell Master anyways," Orion said with a grin as he and Laxus walked side by side down the street. "If he's up, I mean."

"I'm sure he'll wake up for this," the slayer told him with a slight grin.

At the house, Mirajane was cleaning up in the kitchen. At the news though, she dropped the dishrag in her hands and rushed over to her son to hug him. He'd always like her hugs the best. It just made him feel so safe.

"I'm gonna go tell Master, okay?" he asked as she let him go, her eyes focusing then on all the bruises he had. "Mom?"

When she nodded, he rushed off, passed the current master, who was standing in the doorway of the kitchen. He waited until Orion disappeared down the hall and into Makarov's room to go over to Mira.

"You didn't just give it to him, did you?" she whispered. The slayer frowned at the accusation.

"Of course not," he grumbled, though it was hard to hide his grin. Not to mention the pride. "He got it fair and square. I'm sure he'll get around to telling you all about it."

And man if Laxus didn't like watching Mirajane when she was happy. Honestly, the demon was downright ecstatic then and, unable to contain herself, she took to hugging him too.

Their baby…

"Master?" the boy in question was whispering then as he came over to the man's bedside. "I'm back."

Makarov was hardly lucid then, as Mirajane had already given him his morning medicine, and only whispered the teen's name.

"It's me," he confirmed. "Orion."

"Orion," Makarov whispered, holding out a hand. When he took it, it was colder than the last time.

 _It's only a hand,_ he thought to himself.

It was forever etched in his memory, too, what happened next. Makarov had opened his eyes and was staring up at him, almost blankly, while the teen only smiled.

"I made it, Master," he told him, cupping the hand with both of his own, trying to warm it the best he could. "I'm S-Class. I beat Laxus. I did. I-"

"Orion." That time, it was less of a question and more of a statement. And, for a moment, he seemed more alert as he tried to sit up. "Listen."

"To what, Master?"

The man's eyes met the boy's blue then as he stared hard at him. "It's close now, boy."

"What is?" he asked softly, though he knew. Of course he knew. "Master?"

Not answering, he said, "I can't… I promised them, but I can't go knowing…"

"W-What are you talking about? Did you not hear me? I'm S-Class." Orion thought that the man was confused. Or that he was having a spell or something. "Master-"

"I promised Mirajane and your father, but I can't…" His eyes seemed more attentive than they had in weeks. He was staring right at him. "I can't go without you knowing."

Orion almost dropped his hands. His father? Was he going to tell him-

"I've loved you since I saw you," the elderly man went on. "Your mother let me hold you and I knew that I couldn't… But I love her too. And to watch something happen to her… It's was an impossible choice."

"What are you talking about?" The teen's words were hardly a breath. He felt like he was dreaming. "Master?"

"You," he said, never breaking the gaze once, "have always been mine. No matter what anyone has told you."

"I don't-"

"Laxus just wanted to save your mother," Makarov went on. "That's all. I promise."

"I… What?" His head was starting to hurt. "What are you trying to-"

"They can do what they wish, they can tell whatever lies they feel are right," Makarov whispered as he sat up and reached his other hand out to lay it against Orion's cheek. "But you have always been my grandson. And you always will be."

The words weren't making sense. They were, but they weren't. All at the same time. Was he telling him…

"Are you," the boy whispered, "saying that Laxus is…"

Makarov only nodded slightly, letting his hands fall, both of them, before he moved to lay back down. "Oh, Orion. They'll hate me, but I had to make this peace. The curse is yours by birthright, but so is all the goodness that comes from it. You're a Dreyar, above all else. And I couldn't go, lying to the only child I've ever raised that truly cared for me the same."

There was a noise then, a knocking, on the bedroom door. It, along with almost everything else though, didn't make sense to Orion. It was Laxus' voice though, that snapped him out of it.

"Gramps," the man called out as he opened the door. "The boy isn't tiring you out, is he?"

Makarov was just laying there then, exhausted, as Orion only glanced at the doorway. Laxus was…

But that didn't…

And…

"Hey," the slayer growled as, suddenly, the teen took off running, shoving passed him and out of the room. "What's your problem? Gramps, what did you-"

"I'm sorry," Makarov told Laxus as he drifted off back to sleep. "But you weaved the web. Not me."

"What are- Hey!" Suddenly, it hit Laxus. "What did you tell him?"

Not that he was waiting for an answer, as the slayer was turning even as he spoke to go after the boy.

"Orion!"

He was rushing through the house though, for the front door. Mirajane, having heard the commotion, came to check on them.

"What are you all- Ori, where are you going?"

Away. Far away. He didn't even stop. Only swung the door open before making his escape. He had to get away from all of them. He couldn't…but…none of it…

"Laxus?" Mirajane looked to him as he just came to a stop then, there in the living room, staring at the open front door. "What's wrong? Where's he going?"

The slayer only stood there, panting slightly as his own head started to ache. Glancing at the woman, he could only shake his head.

Gramps was right. He knew it too, as he only stood there, not knowing for once what his next move should be. It was tangled damn web.

And finally, they'd all been caught.


	8. Requiem

Chapter 8: Requiem

There were nights, back when Orion was young, that Mirajane felt extremely isolated from the others. Of course, she had her siblings and yes, she had her friends, but none of them could relate. At all. They were all going on with their normal lives and, once again, she was sidelined by something.

It wasn't as dramatic as Lisanna's death had been (nothing ever would be), but it was big enough to massively impact her normal lifestyle. She wasn't up at the guild constantly anymore, always around when the drama was going on (or to scope out the gossip), was out of the loop in most things as she wasn't around to snoop through others lives. And not being able to help Makarov out as much as she would have liked wasn't nice either.

She just felt…alone. A lot. Not that it was anyone's fault, of course, but out of sight, out of mind. And with a newborn tying you down, it was hard to stay in the forefront of the others minds.

So maybe, during that time, Mira found herself more drawn inward than she had been in years. So much of her time was spent at home with Orion that it was only natural that she would form such a strong bond with him. There were days where, if things fell just right and her siblings were out on a job and so was Lucy or Levy's team, she might actually not see anyone at all, outside of him. Which, of course, she grew to be fine with.

Mirajane loved Orion. More than she ever had anything else. Even when he was crying uncontrollably or had managed to make a mess of a room, he was still her baby. He needed her. He relied on her. No one did that anymore. Not the way that he did. And there was something to be said about being needed.

There were times, even, when Mirajane didn't even want to go out. When Elfman and Ever were willing to babysit for her that she had no desire to even go somewhere. Because Orion was just learning to talk and what if she missed something big? Or what if he started crying and they didn't know how to get him to stop? And they didn't know his special naptime or bedtime songs that she sang to him, so neither of them could handle that. Even Lisanna or Lucy couldn't handle that. Not at all.

In a way, it was less others sealing Mirajane off and more her own doing. As much of it was necessary and due to Orion's birth, a huge chunk of it was also by her own design. She loved the guild. She loved her guild mates. But she also loved Laxus. And seeing him constantly wasn't fun. She'd been afraid that being around Orion would be the same constant reminder that the guild was, but it just wasn't the case at all. Orion would always need her and would always love her. No matter what. Stupid curse or not. That put him higher on her list than anything.

Some of Mirajane's best memories of the last few years were when Orion was young and she used to play her guitar for him, every night. Since he was a baby, really, that had been the best way to get him to sleep. She'd lay him down in her bed before sitting next to him on it, guitar in hand, and singing softly to him. He, by far, was the best listener she ever met. Even as he got older it was a regular occurrence for him to curl up in bed with her and listen to her strum on her guitar.

It would be impossible to explain to anyone else, but Mira just didn't need other people as much anymore. Not with Orion around. He was her entire world. And sure, the older he got, the less that was true, but she still thought of it that way. Even when he started going out on jobs all by himself, she'd still be the first person he told that he was leaving. And she was always the one he went to when he first got back. Not to mention she knew everything about him.

Their life hadn't been without down points though. There'd been times, of course, over the years where Orion was upset with her. He was a growing boy. One's mother isn't always the most popular of friend choices. And Mirajane would admit it; she was a lot to deal with. She was nosey and not much of one for self-pity. She was always looking on the bright side. And for Orion, who had come to develop a less than sunny disposition, that wasn't always for the best.

The longest he'd ever been mad at her was probably three days. It was once when he was about nine and she'd, as always, managed to embarrass him in front of someone. The Master, namely. Makarov had been over at their house and she started talking about the nightmare he'd had the night before, resulting in him wetting the bed.

Makarov thought it was a funny story and Mira thought it was cute, that he could get so worked up over something like that, but Orion had _not_ been amused with her sharing something so personal. He was far too old, of course, for wetting the bed, even in a situation like that. And the last thing he wanted was for Makarov to know he'd done something like that. Err, okay, maybe not the last thing. The last thing was for Laxus to know. But the Master was a close second.

Spreading his embarrassing moments was nowhere near comparable to what was going on then though. The secret was out. Laxus was Orion's father. And he very much so knew. Not only that, but he knew that she'd lied to him. For years. That she'd kept something from him. Let him play the fool. Spend all those years longing for a man that wasn't five feet from him most the time. Holding a man that clearly didn't want him in such high esteem that it was almost unreal that the same man, apparently, didn't even want him as a son.

It made Mira sick to her stomach to think about. Orion had to hate her. He just had to.

She didn't know this for certain, however, as she hadn't seen the boy. Not since he stormed out of Makarov's house. Mira had no idea where he'd gone after that. Only that he hadn't been to the guild or home. She waited all night for him at the latter, unable to sleep and honestly going out of her mind with worry.

Never once did it occur to her that he was in the most obvious place of all.

"How could you lie to me?"

"I didn't lie to you," Erza sighed when the boy came to her door hours later. He'd spent some time on his own, trying to blow off steam and shock alike. Now though, he just wanted answers. "I never once told you that Laxus was not your father. I just never told you that he was either."

"Erza-"

"Here." They were seated at her kitchen table and, leaning across it, she pushed a white box towards him. "You caught me just as I was getting back from the bakery. I do not often share my treats with just anyone. Here. It's cake."

He didn't even move to pop the box open. "I don't want cake, Erza. At all."

"It's your choice, of course," she said slowly as she pulled the box back to her. "But I would take a slice if I were you. To reward yourself. Do not get so overwhelmed that you forget that you are now officially an S-Class-"

"I don't care about that!" Why was she treating him that way? "At all. They lied to me. They-"

"That has nothing to do with me," Erza told him simply. "They did not wish for you to know, so-"

"Does everyone know?"

"Of course not." Then she paused. "Well, I suppose it depends on who everyone is to you-"

"How could they do this?" He was starting to get red in the face again as he thought once more about how Master had told him. Gripping his fists tightly, he banged them on the table. Frowning, Erza moved the cake box even further away from him. "I hate them."

"You do not." Sighing, the swordswoman got to her feet before walking over to him. "Come. Let's go and find them and you three can talk this all out. I'm certain-"

"No." He jerked away from her when she tried to lay a hand on his shoulder. "I'm not going to talk to them. Are you crazy? What good would that do? They're both selfish idiots who-"

"I have never been put in this situation before," Erza told him simply before sighing and looking up at the ceiling, as if in deep thought. "Although, once I did read a book where two lovers found out that they were half siblings-"

"Erza."

Looking back to him, she said, "I think that the best situation is for you to take some time."

"Time?"

With a nod, she said, "This is a lot to deal with, you know. And I assure you that they never wished for you to find out this way-"

"I should have never had to find out anything!" His fingernails were digging into the palms of his hands then as he literally shook in anger. "I hate them. I hate him. He's such a stupid, smug asshole-"

"While I wholeheartedly agree with that for a multitude of reasons," Erza was quick to say, "I must remind you that doing something in anger is never advised."

"I haven't done anything. Yet."

"That is exactly what I mean." That time when she reached out to touch him, it was to rest her hand on his head and he didn't even think about moving. Stroking his white locks gently then, Erza told him softly, "You are too emotional right now. And if I know them both they way I do, they will be the same. Personally, paternity has been a rather moot point in my life, but I could see how it has been built up in your mind."

"Built up?" Jerking his head back, he glared up at her. "You don't get it. You-"

"I'm agreeing with that," she told him with a nod. "I do not."

"Laxus is a dick. He let me sit around and do stuff for him and-"

"Again, I agree. This was never an ideal situation. And if I had been Mira, I would have done things very differently. However, she and Laxus were very in love, I assure you. And she would never leave Fairy Tail. There was no way he would either, of course. It was just a bad outcome to what started as an impossible choice."

"Impossible?" he hissed. "What's so impossible about not lying to your kid? Or, gee, I dunno, not screwing around with someone's life?"

"Orion-"

"No." He looked back down again, glaring down at the table. "They did this. They did all of this. Not me. I didn't do anything. I didn't ask them to…to… He lied to me!"

"I know, Orion. He-"

"No." He was huffing then. "I saw them together. I got home from a job and they were… And he said that…"

"What?" Frowning, Erza dropped her hand. "You found them when?"

He was too upset to talk. "They were… So what? They can't tell me that he's… But they can sleep together? What sense does that make?"

This was news to Erza who blinked in surprise. "Then you knew that Laxus and your mother-"

"He said that it was just a one time thing," he said. "And that they were-"

"Does Mirajane know that you-"

"No," he hissed. "He told me not to tell her. He-"

"This is quite the mess," Erza sighed. "I have never doubted any of Master Makarov's actions, but to cause all of this-"

"He didn't do anything," Orion said with a glare. "They did. He just told me the truth. At least someone did that. Unlike the rest of you, all just lying to my face and never-"

"Calm down. I am not saying that you did not have a right to know," she assured him. "Just that it could have been done with more tact. And perhaps in consolation with Mira and Laxus."

"Why? They wouldn't have let him. They'd have probably hidden it from me forever." Snorting, he said, "I can't believe she did this to me. My own mother. She let me look like an idiot-"

"She was trying to protect you."

"From what? Huh? And how was she protecting me by still sleeping with him?" The thought alone made him want to vomit. Laxus and his mother… Ugh.

"Lapses of you judgment occurred, I'm sure," Erza slowly concurred. "But that is only because of the connection they have always felt. He is the only man that your mother has ever been so close to. And since you were born, she's hardly even thought of other-"

"Oh, right, okay. So it's my fault, right?"

"That is not what I said."

"It is what you said," he accused. "It's my fault that they can't be together."

"No. Orion, you are twisting-"

"Well, guess what? I don't care. They're the idiots that had me. She's stupid for even caring about him. Laxus is a jerk. And he's an ass. So she's stupid for even-"

"Enough."

"No!" He wasn't ready to calm down yet. Not by a long shot. He had fifteen years of lies and deception saved up. It'd take more than a few minutes to get it all out. "If she thinks he's so great, fine. She can have him. I don't need her. I don't-"

"She never chose him over you," Erza said simply. "If she had, I do not believe we would be having this conversation right now."

"She chose him every single time she covered for him," he argued. "When she wouldn't just tell me. When she-"

"What good would it have done, Orion? To force him to accept you? None. He did not wish to be a father. He wanted your mother to get rid of you. She wouldn't. And-"

"Don't make her a hero in this."

"I'm not. And she's not. She did a lot of wrong too," she assured him. "But making wrong choices does not mean that she didn't do them out of a good place. She loves you, Orion."

"Yeah, whatever."

"She does. And…in some way, he does too." That time, she only patted his head before turning to go take her seat once more. "I do not know what else to tell you. I can't make things better. But I can assure you that it was never meant to turn out this way. They never wanted anything other than the best for you. Especially Mirajane. And, back then, Laxus wasn't the best for you."

"So that's it? He just didn't want to be my father so she decided not to tell me? At any point?"

Hesitant, Erza wasn't sure whether or not the curse had come up yet. Not wishing to be the one to drop that little nugget down, she nodded slowly.

"I suppose you can put it that way, yes, but-"

"I don't want to deal with this anymore." Pushing up from the table then, he turned to head out the backdoor. "At all."

"Where are you going? Orion?"

But he didn't answer her and, honestly, Erza thought it was best not to go after him. He needed some time to himself, after all.

He didn't want time to himself however. He did, though, want the hell out of Magnolia. And fast. Before he ran into Laxus or his mother again. Or anyone, really. He just wanted to get far away from all of Fairy Tail.

So he did.

Mira though couldn't find anywhere else to go. After waiting for him at the house turned out to be a bust, she headed up to the hall to check in there. Never before had the big gossip in the guild been so mortifying to her. She'd told Lisanna who in turn had told Bickslow who in turn, apparently, told everyone in the free world.

Not that she could be too upset. It would have all gotten out eventually (she'd have probably been the one to tell everyone, honestly), but still. For someone that thrived off drama on a typical day, that was not the kind she wanted. At all. Overshadowed was the fact that her son was officially S-Class by the fact he was technically a Dreyar.

It definitely wasn't the attention Mirajane was craving.

Laxus was nowhere to be found. She'd left him over there with Makarov when she left to go track down their son, but she was starting to regret that decision. She was afraid that he would yell at the man, which just wasn't what Makarov needed. She was upset with him too, truly, but at the same time, she felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her. Orion knew. Which brought up new worries and complications, but at the very least took away the original problem. And the cornucopia of other problems it opened up felt like nothing in comparison.

Lisanna went home with her that night, to wait for Orion to come home, but he never showed. And the next morning, they searched the town, but he was nowhere to be found. There was, however, someone else definitely hanging around.

"I don't want to deal with you."

"Yeah, well, I don't think we have much of a choice, but to deal with one another," Laxus grumbled when Mira opened her front door to find him there. "Can I come in?"

"I don't want you to, but-"

"Mirajane-"

"What is there to say, Laxus? Huh?" With a sigh, she took a step back, granting him entrance. "There's nothing for me and you to talk about. Not anymore."

"Uh, try maybe we should talk about what we're going to say to Orion?" He raised an eyebrow. "I mean-"

"We," she hissed, shutting the door behind him, "aren't telling him anything. I'm going to talk to my son-"

"Our son."

"Laxus-"

"Well, now that he knows, there' no point in acting otherwise." He headed over to the couch to take a seat. "Besides, there's something else that's bothering me."

"And that is?"

"You, demon." He was staring up at her with concerned eyes. "Now that he knows and it's been made clear that he is my son-"

"Oh, Laxus, if you're about to start talking about-"

"I am," he said with a nod. "I'm worried about you. Do you feel okay? You don't feel feint or something? Have any headaches or stomach aches or-"

"I have a headache," she assured him. "And he's sitting on my couch."

"Mirajane, this is serious."

"No, Laxus. The fact that my son's run off and I can't find him is serious. The fact that he thinks I have been lying to him for years is serious."

"Thinks?" Laxus snorted. "You have."

"You're the one that-"

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing," he told her. "Just that we shouldn't glorify the whole thing. We lied to him, Gramps and his damn honor or whatever blew it, and now we have to clean up the mess. I mean, yeah, the kid's mad, but he'll get over it."

"No, Laxus, he won't. He loves you. And now he knows that you didn't want him. That-"

"I never said I didn't want him." He glared at her then. "I couldn't have him. There's a difference."

"Laxus-"

"There is," he insisted. "Had this curse not been a factor and you gotten pregnant, I'dda been there for him. I'dda married you and we'd have had a billion other kids by now and life would have been great. But life didn't turn out that way. And he's gonna have to man up and deal with it. You, on the other hand, are in a lot of danger and I'm worried about-"

"Shut up."

"Mira-"

"No. You idiot." Huffing, she came over to glare at him. "You're worried? About me? When our son's entire world has just been turned upside down-"

"So I'm his father." Laxus shrugged. "It's what he's wanted, I'm sure. He even told me that he wanted me and you to be together, so-"

"What are you talking about?"

Not letting his slip that Orion knew about their hookup, he said, "Just that he told me that he thinks that you and I are good friends. And he wanted to know why you and I never dated."

Mira's gaze darkened. "Are you lying to me?"

"No." Not really. "He just wanted to know why we never… And I told him that it wouldn't work out and he dropped it. That's all I'm saying. So really, he should be glad, I think."

"Well, you're an idiot."

Meh.

With a shrug, Laxus said, "I'll talk to him. When he show back up, I'll take him out, we'll talk about the curse and-"

"You are not going to tell my son that stupid-"

"It's the truth," he insisted. "And when he hears about it, he'll understand. He loves you. Just as much as I do. He-"

"Don't you dare compare yourself to my son."

"Our son." Staring her in the eyes then, he said, "He knows now that he's our son. And, if he hears why I couldn't tell him, he'll get that and help me figure something else out."

"Laxus, I'm tired of hearing about this stupid curse-"

"Well, you better get un-tired of it," he said. "The boy and his feelings are going to be the least of your worries."

"They're my only worries. He's my son," she kept up. "And he's hurt. Now he's run off and I can't find him and-"

"I'm sure he's just with Erza or something. Don't worry about it."

"I am worried about it, Laxus. You don't get it."

"Oh, I don't get it. Yeah, okay."

"You don't," she said. "You're thinking about everything, but Orion. You-"

"I'm thinkin' of Orion, woman!" He was getting just as worked up as her then. "I'm thinking about how upset he's gonna be when you're dead because Gramps told him that he was my son. That's what the hell I'm thinkin' about. Him having to finish his life without you. Him not being able to come to you whenever he wants to. I'm thinkin' of my son livin' with the same shit I live with every day. What the hell are you thinkin' about?"

For a moment, she only glared at him. Then, shaking her head, she turned to walk off, headed to the kitchen. "I'm not going to die, Laxus. Not from your stupid curse at least. And you're an idiot to think otherwise."

"Demon-"

"Don't call me that. I'm mad at you."

Growling, he jumped up to follow her. "Just hear me out, Mira. We got bigger problems right now than Orion's feelings. I'll have forever to fix that stuff up with him. You though-"

"You're just as dense as your father, aren't you?"

"Excuse me?"

When he came into the kitchen, she was over at the coffeepot, getting ready to pour another cup. At his words though, she turned back to glare at him.

"Ivan hates Makarov, you hate Ivan, and now Orion hates you," she hissed. "Because none of you ever get it. Did you ever think that's the curse? Huh? That you spend so much time worried about these damn deaths or whatever it is you think the curse is, that you lose sight of what's important? I love you, Laxus, but I am not more important than Orion. At least I shouldn't be to you. Because you're damn sure not to me."

With a shout, he said, "I do care about Orion. I'm saving you, fine, but that's helping him. I've kept you alive all these years. And believe me, he'd be grateful. If I had raised him as my son and you'd died when he was three or four, what? You think that would have made him happy? No. If he would just think about it, he's gotten all these years with you and he's gotten me. He's always had me. I'm his father. I've always been his father. I just couldn't say that I was. That's all. But I've still been there. I've always been there. I-"

"He's hurt, Laxus. He-"

"He's angry," he reasoned. "And he has a right to be. But he'll get over it. And I'm not saying I don't care. 'cause I do. And when he comes back, I'll talk to him about it as much as he wants. Right now though, I'm far more concerned with you. I'll have forever to fix things with him. You though-"

"Forever, Laxus? Really? Does Ivan still have forever with you? Or does Master still have forever with him?" She shook her head. "You're unbelievable. They did put a curse on you idiots. You think with your dicks instead of your brains. You're so worried about what woman you're boning and supposedly in love with that you don't do a damn thing for your own blood."

"I have looked out for Orion. His whole damn life. You know I have. So don't act like I haven't," he said. "So what? I tried to keep him and you both safe, so I'm the bad guy? Yeah, okay. Fine, Mira. Is that what you want me to play? The villain? Huh? For giving him a mother and you your damn life? I'm such a horrible person, aren't I?"

"I never said that."

"Yes, you did. You always do. You always act like I caused this. I didn't. I'm just as stuck as you are. Only I don't get to come out of it looking like the victim."

"I have never said that I was-"

"Oh, whatever, Mira. You have everyone thinking I screwed you over. Like I did all this on my own," he said. "I'm sorry. I forgot the part where you weren't just as willing as I was, oh, _every single time we've ever hooked up_."

"Shut up, Laxus."

"No, you shut up," he hissed. "You made this mess. Making him all close to my grandfather, sticking around Fairy Tail, letting him hang around me-"

"Are you honestly blaming me for letting my son be around people who love him? Honestly?"

"I'm saying that if you didn't want this to ever come out, you shouldn't have left him around my family so much," Laxus said. "I mean, sheesh. You taken him on any trips to see Ivan I don't know about?"

"Screw you, Laxus."

"Always open to, babe."

Huffing, Mirajane went back to the coffeepot. "Don't you have some sort of Master duties to do? Or some women to sleaze on? I really don't want to be around you right now."

With a snort, he went to take a seat at the kitchen table. "You can take it out on me if you want, demon, but you know you're only mad at yourself."

"Oh, no, I am mad at myself, but not only."

Laxus only made a face at her. "Whatever, Mira. I mean, what are we even fighting over? That I don't care about Orion as much as you? Fine. Maybe I don't. I wasn't supposed to. The original plan had me not caring about him at all. But as it is, I do. And you do too. And he might not think it right now, but he cares about the two of us too. So what's the point of three people who care about one another arguing over whether or not they care about one another? Huh? I love you. And he's my boy. I've never had a better day than just the other one, when I got to watch my boy become S-Class. When I got to sit there with him on the island, overnight, and tell him things. Listen to him. You say I don't care about my own blood? Fuck that. And fuck you for thinking that."

Mira was done with him then though, it seemed, and when she had her coffee, she came to sit down at the table as well.

Then they could only wait.

And wait.

And wait some more.

"Where's your sister?" he asked eventually.

"Someone had to work for me."

Laxus only sighed. "This boy makes me wait anymore and I might just-"

"He's not making you do anything, Laxus," she said with a frown. "You should do this because you want to."

Yeah, yeah.

"You got any food?" was his next complaint. "Demon?"

"Well, I have things in the fridge, yes, but I'm not hungry." How could she be? When her baby was out there all alone, upset with her and apparently never coming back?

"I am." When Mira said nothing to that, Laxus repeated himself. "I, demon, am hungry."

"Help yourself."

He didn't wanna help himself. It was clear though that at the moment he and Mirajane weren't going to be having any intimate gestures. No demon's cookin' for him.

"I said I wasn't hungry," Mirajane complained when, after going over to the fridge and rooting around, he came to dropped a plate in front of her with a sandwich on it. "Laxus."

"You're never hungry," he told her. "You just work through all your breaks and any free time you do have, goes to the boy. Don't whither away on me, Mirajane. Just eat."

"I can't." She just sat there, hand rested on the table and her head in that, staring blankly at him. "I'm too worried."

"He's a big boy."

"And he's going to throw a big tantrum," she reasoned. "I just wish that I knew where he'd go. I mean, I should know everything, right? I do know everything. But I've had Elf check all his hangouts. He's not at Erza's anymore, he's not at the guild, he's not out at any of the clearings that he trains at-"

"I," Laxus sighed after swallowing a bite of his sandwich, "might know where he is."

"Where?"

It was an easy bet, really. And though Laxus couldn't give her an exact location, he was spot on with his guess.

"I can't believe they'd do that to you."

"Yeah, well."

"I mean, I've heard you talk about Laxus before and you always made him sound so-"

"Great." Orion even grit his teeth when he said that. "I know."

At the moment, he was seated a top a cliff on the outskirts of a tiny village, on a fallen log, looking out over the town. It wasn't just any village though. The place was one that he saved from some peril on one of his first jobs. And, of course, it also was home to his girlfriend.

She'd known that he was going off on the S-Class trials and, win or lose, he was planning on going to see her when he got back. It just so happened that when they met up in their usual spot, he arrived with a lot more to talk about than the trials.

"I couldn't imagine having to go through something like that," the girl in question whispered as she leaned against his arm, staring down at her town as well.

"I know," the teen agreed. "How could they do this to me?"

"Not that," she said making him frown down at her. She wasn't looking though and he only had her brown hair to stare at. "I mean, of course, I feel for you. But your mother too."

Snort. A loud one. "She's the one who-"

"Who raised you and took care of you and had to let go of the man that she loved for-"

"You're such a girl. It wasn't like that." He thought about shrugging her off, but then figured against it. "It wasn't…romantic. Laxus isn't romantic. And my mother would never… No. They just…did what they did. Fooled around with one another. And then he didn't want me so-"

"It's still sad."

"You just don't get it."

"I don't," she agreed, still not looking up at him. "I never had a mother. I don't know what it's like."

"I know." Great. Now he sounded like a douche. "I'm sorry. It's stupid, huh? To you? Your father's dead and you don't know your mother and I'm bitching because now I have what I always wanted."

"I'm not saying that," she insisted, lifting her head then to look up at him, her brown eyes clashing against his blues. "This is a lot to take in. I just don't know what to say to make you feel better."

"You make me feel better."

Grinning then, she even blushed a little which made him smile took, before she move to rest her head on his shoulder again.

"When do you have to go back?"

"Go back?" he repeated. "I just got here a few hours ago."

"I know. But with all that going on-"

"I'm not dealing with them," he told her. "I shouldn't have to."

"What about your master?"

"I just said-"

"Not that one. Not Laxus. The older one. What's his name? Mak-"

"Makarov," he whispered, breathing softly then. He'd been so caught up in his own troubles that he'd neglected to think about the old man. Swallowing, he said, "I do have to get back. Before he…"

"It sounds so nice there."

"Huh?"

"Magnolia," she told him with a slight grin. "It sounds nice. Every time you talk about it. There's so many people and shops and-"

"Then come with me."

"Orion-"

"You could." He told her that a lot. "You could come stay with me."

"You live with your mother," she pointed out.

"She wouldn't care."

"I don't even know her and I know that she would."

"You could join Fairy Tail and-"

"And what? I don't know any magic."

That was sort of a requirement.

"And I can't leave my home," she told him. "I-"

"Yeah, you can. A lot of people do."

"I have my little brother to take care of."

"But-"

"I can't. I'm sorry."

Hanging his head then, he said, "Well, it doesn't matter anyhow, I guess. I'm S-Class now. I won't be there a lot anyways."

Her arms wrapped around his as she leaned more heavily into him. "That means you won't be here a lot either."

"Yeah, I will," he assured her. His mind was drifting though to the train schedule. He had to get going, if he was going to catch one and get back to Magnolia before morning. "I'll always come back here."

"How do you know?"

"Because you're here."

That sounded nice, but she had her doubts. Orion wasn't too worried about the future then though. He was much more concerned with the present. And the past. And the lies. And Makarov.

Mirajane, however, could think about nothing other than that.

"He has a what?"

Laxus shrugged. "A woman."

"A w-woman?"

"Well, a girl, I guess," he said. "I don't know."

"He does not!" She pushed up from the kitchen table at that. "No way he does. I know everything about him. He would have told me if he was…seeing someone. When does he even have the time to? How old is she? Where does she live? Is it serious? He's not old enough to be serious with someone. What-"

"Mirajane, I don't know," Laxus sighed as she took to pacing. "It's not that big of a deal. He-"

"It is a big deal, Laxus," she hissed. "How long has he been with this…person? I mean-"

"I don't know. A few months? Or something."

"Why would did he tell you about this and not me?"

"He didn't meant to," Laxus said. "I was just teasing him about being… Uh, what was the question?"

"Teasing him about what?"

"Nothing. Weren't we talking about something-"

"Laxus-"

"I just said," he mumbled sheepishly, "that, you know, he was still a, uh, virgin or whatever and he was quick to tell me-"

"I don't want to hear about this!" Mira looked ready to hit him then and Laxus winced in preparation. "Why would you tell me that?"

"You made me!"

"He's not old enough to be-"

Grinning then, he stared up at her from his seat. "Well, when was your first- Ow, Mira."

She hit him again. "Shut up, Laxus. You idiot."

He managed to catch her hand the next time she rose it to strike him. Still grinning, he said, "He's not a little boy. Hell, he's S-Class. He's gonna travel the world. There's gonna be a lotta these women you're going to have to get used to."

Jerking her hand out of his then, Mira looked off, a blush forming across her cheeks. "He's doesn't think about things like that."

"About girls? Or sex? Mira, do you even know that you're raising a teenage boy or-"

"Shut up. Honestly."

"You be honest," he said with a laugh. "He's my son. Of course he'd be-"

"I'm going to strangle you."

"Anyhow," he said as he pushed away from the table to get up as well. "The boy is probably there. You know, drownin' his sorrows and all. Licking his wounds. Or getting them licked-"

"You're about to get kicked out."

"Your baby's a man," he said simply, holding his hands up as if in his own defense. "It sucks, but it's true. That all the more reason that what I've said is right."

"What are you talking about?"

Slowly moving his hands down then, he moved to lay them on her shoulders. "You know. You said that you wanted to find someone, remember? Try again at being with someone and having a baby and all. Well, Orion's grown now. He doesn't need you so much anymore. If anything should show you that, it's all this."

"Laxus-"

"He's hurtin' and he didn't come to you. He went to her." Smiling at her slightly, Laxus said, "It's not a bad thing. It's just a life thing. You can't hold the boy hostage. Keep him locked up for yourself. It doesn't work that way."

She turned her eyes from him then and, with a sigh, Laxus fully dropped his hands that time, back down to his side.

"It's funny, isn't it?" That time, his grin wasn't real. It was wry. "The whole point of this was to make things better for him, for you, and really all it did was make the two of you feel even more alone. And now the whole things blown. And I have my reasons that it was a good thing. That it's still a good thing. I'm honestly still convinced that you're not safe, demon-"

"Laxus."

"-but," he went on as if she hadn't spoken, "there's nothing that can be done for that, I guess. I mean, I'll still be trying to figure something out-"

"There's nothing to figure out," she insisted. "There's nothing wrong with me."

Shaking his head slightly, he said, "It doesn't matter what you say, demon. I know that there will be. And I promise you, I'm gonna be there for you-"

"No, Laxus. You won't. Because there's not going to be-"

"Now that Orion knows though," he said, "there's nothing to hide."

"Obviously."

"No, Mira." He was taking a step closer then, hands coming back up. That time though, it wasn't to lay them on her shoulders, but rather to cup her pale cheeks. "I meant that the two of us, well, we can be together."

"Laxus-"

"Listen." He was grinning at her then. "I mean, I know things aren't perfect right now and I know that this isn't what we ever had in mind and that I told you to move on, but now you don't have to. And I don't have to. I love you. I've always loved you. And if things don't work out after the fact, well, I can live with that. But to leave things the way that they are now-"

"I," Mirajane began as she only reached up to pull his hands off her face before taking a step back, "am not interested in discussing that at the moment."

"What?"

Heading back over to the table to take a seat, she said, "My concern is with my son, Laxus. First and foremost. And if he's okay and I can get things right with him again, then, maybe, we can talk about that. But not until I know how Orion feels."

"What the hell does that mean?" Laxus, apparently, wasn't satisfied. "So if the boy doesn't want us together-"

"He's my life," she said simply. "Always."

That didn't sit well with Laxus. At all. He stewed for awhile, out in the living room, and Mira left him to it. There was nothing she could tell him. It was the truth. Orion was the only opinion that mattered to the woman, really.

As much as she would have loved to stick around and wait for him, she had to get Makarov some food and make sure he got all his medicine (she'd put Lucy on Makarov duty, but she never rightly trusted anyone with that job other than herself). Telling Laxus where she was going, she left the man over at the house (he still wanted to be there in case Orion showed up), before heading out.

Makarov wasn't well when she got there. Lucy was just leaving when she did, but Mira could tell that the Master was happy to see her. He kept trying to apologize to her, but she just shushed him at every turn.

"It's alright," she assured the man as she came to hold his hand and smile down at him. "You're alright. Orion's alright. Everything's fine. Shhh. Just rest, Master. Please, just rest."

He couldn't though it seemed. He kept asking for Laxus, asking if the man was still upset. And she assured him otherwise, promising that he wasn't. And when he didn't want him, it was Orion.

"He'll be here soon," Mirajane would say softly. "You know he loves you. He loves you so much."

And, once, late that night when she was getting ready to go (it was always Gray that stayed overnight typically), he asked her for Ivan. That was the hardest smile to fake.

"Master, you know that Ivan loves you. He-"

"No." And the grip he had on her hand increased then. "Where is Ivan?"

"Master-"

"Ivan." His eyes were dark. "I want my son. I need my son."

It took thirty minutes to calm him down after that. Mira only spoke softly to him, singing almost, until he drifted off and she was able to get out there.

There was nothing worse than watching someone you love deteriorate. Nothing.

At home, Mirajane found Laxus had fallen asleep on the couch. Leaving him there, she only headed to her bedroom to get ready for bed. It felt like she wasn't in there for long when it happened.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Orion got home.

She was rushing too, to get out of bed, still slightly confused, so that she could get out there to alleviate the obvious problem.

"What did you say to me?"

And there was no way that Laxus was just going to behave. Be the mature one. Oh, no. There would be no maturity to be had by the males in the house that night.

When she got to the living room, Laxus was sitting up on couch, looking slightly dazed himself, but definitely with his usual snarl on his lips. Orion's eyes were dark as he stalked over to the man and Mira only went first to flip on a light.

"Hey," she called as, when Orion bucked up, Laxus got to his feet. "Orion, come here. And Laxus, go-"

"Get the hell out," Orion growled as the man only frowned down at him. "What do you think you're doing here? No one wants you here. And if you don't understand that, I'll gladly teach it to you."

"What is your problem, boy?" Laxus looked ready to hit him. "Huh? I'm here for you, you idiot. To make sure that you're alright. I-"

"I don't need you to do anything for me. At all. So fuck off."

"Orion!" Mira came to literally grab him then and tug him away from his father. "Enough. Laxus and I were both just worried about you. You shouldn't have run off. I know that this is a lot, but we just need to talk about-"

"Talk about what?" It was easy to transfer his anger over onto her. "Huh? How you lied to me and cheated me out of-"

"Hey." Laxus wasn't for that either. "Mira didn't do anything, alright? I was the one-"

"Lax-"

"Why don't you just get out?" Orion wasn't done with him. "My mom doesn't want you here, so just-"

"Leave him alone, Orion. And Laxus, just go. This isn't turning out-"

"Turning out what?" her son asked, frowning at her once more. "The way you thought it was? What? Did you think that I would just come in here and be thankful that this douche is-"

"Look, brat," Laxus growled. "I've had about enough of you. I get it, okay? Shit sucks. Life sucks. I'm sorry, alright? Makarov wasn't supposed to tell you. But he did. And now you're stuck with the truth. I'm sorry. Things were complicated back then."

"Complicated?" Orion snorted. "So complicated that in sixteen years, in all the time that I've spent with you, it's never occurred to you to just tell me, to just say that-"

"I'm telling you, things were messy and-"

"No." He even shook his head, the anger leaving his voice, sounding purely absolute then. "You didn't want me."

"That's not-"

"And guess what? Now I don't want you. So just get out." Staring him in the eyes, he said, "I fucking hate you."

An awkward beat followed that where Laxus swallowed and Mirajane only stared at her son. Then, slowly, Laxus nodded before moving to head around him and to the front door.

"Welcome to the family."

It was the sound of the door shutting that seemed to revive Mirajane. She didn't even look after the man. Only turned to her son, who was still standing in that same position, before moving, slowly to wrap her arms around him.

"I'm so sorry, Ori," she told him softly. "I never… You know that I love you, right? Because I do. And I know that I screwed up, but the longer that time went on, the more like it seemed to be the right one. I just always wanted to be there. To be with you. I love you."

He paused too and, for a moment, she thought that he would shove her off. Instead, the teen only moved to wrap his arms just as tightly around her.

"I love you too."

It was weird, the way that things had changed. Time felt like it hadn't passed at all, but it had, oh so quickly. Not too long ago, she'd been so much bigger than him and had been able to engulf him in her arms. What day was it that the roles were reversed? When did he become the one holding her? Why was it that she couldn't even pinpoint the last time it'd been the other way around?

Burying her head in his neck, Mira breathed deeply before whispering, "I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know."

With a sniffle, she pulled back some then, just so that they could look one another in the eyes.

"Are you okay?"

When he nodded, she moved one of her arms then, so that she could cup his cheek.

"Look at you." She couldn't smile, she felt so sick to her stomach, but her eyes, though wet, were alight. "You're all beat up. From the trials, huh? Mmmm. All this happened and I never really got to hear about that. Did you- Oh, Ori."

He couldn't help it. Honest, he couldn't. The tears just fell then when he thought about how he'd felt that night, lying under the stars with Laxus. And it felt so visceral, the connection they had then. The one they had always had. He'd been drawn to Laxus all his life. Had it been nothing more than fate? Instinctual? Coincidental?

Did all those things he'd built up in his mind, the man picking him, doting on him, _deciding that he was one of his boys_ had that all been nothing more than the man feeling guilty? As if he owed it to the boy to at least throw him a bone? Was that it? Had it all meant nothing?

What of him making S-Class then? Was that from his strength? Or from Laxus catering to him, because he was…they were… Or was it just because of his mother? Did he want the woman still?

The thought alone made him so angry that he just…the tears just…they welled up in his eyes and he almost went blind with rage.

"Come here." Mirajane only reached up to stroke one of his cheeks. "It's okay, baby. See? Nothing's changed. Nothing at all. I'm still here. You're still here. And Laxus doesn't have anything to do with us. Not if you don't want him to. It's always been just me and you. And it always will be. Okay? There's not a thing in the world that would ever change that."

It took a moment or two, but eventually, Mirajane got the teen to follow her out of the living room and back to her bedroom. He was too tired to fight or to question anything. If his connection to Laxus had always been evident, the one he had with his mother was physically visible.

Mira only went to get her guitar from where it sat on a stand in the corner of her bedroom. It had been awhile since she'd had a chance to use it and, upon strumming, she found it out of tune, but Ori didn't care. Not one bit.

They'd done that since he was a boy. He could remember it, when he got a bit older. Mira though could remember it from when he was born up until that moment. Months had passed since the last time they'd had a chance to do it recently (it might have even been a year and been back when Radic broke his leg), but it felt just as right as it always did.

She didn't sing that night. Only strummed. And, when he started crying again, that time more out of frustration than anger, Mirajane only smiled from where she sat on the other side of the bed, cross-legged and staring over at him.

"Ori," she whispered softly over the strumming, the moniker coming out in only the way that she could make it. "Why are you crying? Look. I'm here. And I'm safe. And you're here. And you're safe. What else is there?"

A lot. A whole lot. But right then, he couldn't tell her that.

"One day," Mira went on as she played softly in the background. "None of this will matter. You'll travel all over and come back to me, won't you? With little trinkets and gifts. And we won't think anything about this. It'll be a footnote in a whole biography. Look at you already. You're not a boy anymore, are you? You're a man. And in no time at all. I'm so proud of you."

And as true as that was, she missed him too. Or the boy he had been (and she still saw traces of in moments like the one they were having then). But the child in him was dying and she was having to learn to let go.

"He," he sobbed, "wasn't supposed to do this. Why did he do this?"

"Orion, Laxus is…a lot of things. And I know you will never understand this, but there were circumstances-"

"All he cares about is himself." He was trying to wipe at his eyes then, as he rolled onto his back. "When he slept with you, he said that he wanted to be with you, but you were-"

"What are you talking about? Orion? The reason we weren't together was-"

Sniffling, he glanced over at her before saying, "I saw you. In bed with him. And he told me-"

"When?" The playing had stopped then as Mira stared at with him with big eyes. "Orion?"

"I don't know. A couple of months ago. I got home from a job and-"

"Why didn't you-"

"If he hated me so much and didn't want me-"

"It's not like that."

"-then why would you still be with him?" He was moving to sit up then, staring at her. "Huh?"

"Orion, I don't-"

"Do you love him?"

"It's complicated. We've always-"

"Why would you be with someone that doesn't want me?"

"He does. He-"

"He told me that my father didn't want me." He was done with his sniffles then and was just glaring over at her in the darkness. "He said that if it had been up to my father, you wouldn't have had me."

"When did he-"

"When I saw you two together." He took some deep breaths then, to keep himself from sobbing again. "He came out and I asked him about… And he said that my father sucked and that he wasn't any good for you or me and that if it had been up to him-"

"He didn't… Ori, there's a lot more to it," she insisted. "It wasn't that he didn't want to have you. Or me. It was just that he thinks that…"

"That what?"

But she couldn't. For all the truths that were out then, she couldn't plant such a stupid and worthless lie in his head.

"I make mistakes, Orion," she said then, finally. "And that was one of them. Sleeping with Laxus again, I mean. I shouldn't have. I knew that the two of you were close and I just… But I did love him, if that makes you feel better. And I never once thought about leaving you. It's always been you over him. I promise. And I know that things are bad right now, tonight, but they'll be better. Give it a little time and this will all pass. All things do."

He didn't want to hear that though. She knew he didn't. Still, when she started playing that time, she sang as well, effectively ending their conversation. Slowly, he fell back onto the bed.

Not all things. Not even close.

Mira must have sang for an hour, at least. She only stopped when she was nearly certain that he was sleeping. He'd rolled onto his stomach, with his head buried in one of her pillows, so she couldn't be too sure, but he hadn't moved in awhile and his breathing seemed to have slowed.

With a sigh, she finished up that last verse before moving to set the guitar down, propping it up against the side of the bed.

"I love you," she whispered softly to him before leaning over the bed to kiss the back of his head. And Orion, who was still very much so up, could have sworn that she smelled his neck or something too, which was weird, but he was so out of it then that he could have been imagining it.

But oh, he hadn't. She was sniffing for perfume something, but hadn't picked anything up. Maybe Laxus was wrong and he hadn't been with a woman. She sure hoped so.

As silently as she could, Mirajane got out of bed before leaving the room. There was no way she could sleep. None.

That turned out to be for the better, as it was while she was in the living room, folding up the blanket that Laxus had left out on the couch, that there was a sharp knocking at the front door.

"Laxus," she groaned as she dropped the blanket before turning to head over there, the rapid rapping not ceasing. "Are you seriously-"

But it wasn't the man on the other side of the door. Instead it was her sister, the younger of the Strauss siblings standing there with her eyes filled with tears, but not sobbing. Only staring at her sister.

"Lisanna," she whispered at the sight of her before moving to pull her into the house. "What-"

"Gray came by when I was closing up," she sniffed. "It's… Master's gone, Mira. He passed on."

There was nothing that Mira hadn't been preparing herself in the past few months for more than that. For Makarov's death. She'd thought up all the reasons that it was for the better. He was ready to go. He'd told her as much. He had been in pain for months. All of his friends had already met the same fate. It was selfish to will him alive for their own benefit.

None of those did it for her then though. They didn't make the feeling in her chest disappear.

She knew, deep down, that she'd done everything she could for the man over the years. More than most others. She'd loved him. But it didn't stop the guilt she felt over not staying that night. Of not having been there with him.

What if he'd wanted her there? And she'd never get the chance to be.

"Wha's goin' on?"

That came from the hall and, when the two sisters glanced over there, they found that it was Orion. He was yawning and rubbing at his eyes, clearly having been fully awakened by Lisanna's knocking.

"Orion," she whispered as his mother only shook her head.

"Ori." She'd been holding onto her younger sister, but released her then to head over to her. He just stared at her though.

"What?" He couldn't explain it, but somehow he just knew. Just from the look he was getting from the two of them. He knew. "What's wrong?"

"It's Master," she told him softly.

"What about him? Mom? What about him?"

Mirajane only shook her head though, not saying anything. That didn't make much of a difference. Because he knew. He fucking knew.

It felt like such a waste too, then, as he couldn't even cry. He'd spent so much time on tears for himself and an outcome he'd practically begged for previously that he hadn't saved any for when they mattered. For the one man that deserved them.

Orion hoped Master knew. In fact, he was nearly certain he did. Surely, he understood that gut wrenching sobs or not, he could not remember a moment that he'd felt more empty.

And alone.


	9. Parallels

Chapter 9: Parallels

She stood with him.

That was the first real act of betrayal that Orion was chalking against his mother. He could send others her way, considering all the information that he was picking up, but it was the first that hurt so much.

It was the only time he could remember that he felt completely separated from her.

Not that he was alone. Or at least he wasn't supposed to feel that way, he knew. He stood over with his aunts and uncle, Elfman sobbing loudly and annoyingly as Aunt Lisanna tried to shush him. Not that it did much to help.

Evergreen kept touching him for some reason. She had been the whole day. Messing with his tie, fixing his hair. It was getting on his nerves. He couldn't be certain, but he figured the reason that she knew he was mad at her. Whenever he was, she always tried to do things for him.

Like once, when he was seven, she and his uncle had gotten into a big fight and she left town. Which wouldn't have really affected him (the two of them fought constantly), except for the fact that she'd promised to take him a few towns over to shop. There were some new shoes that he'd had his eye on for, oh, ever in a shop there and she'd promised to take him to go get them.

"We'll get your shoes, I can get a few things, and then we'll go out to lunch, okay?" She'd grinned real big at him when she made the promise. He remembered that for some reason. Mainly because she was so rare to truly do so. But she was excited that day. "Just the two of us. Okay?"

It made him excited too, when she phrased it that way. Whenever he was with his aunt, he was either with his other aunt or his uncle. He never spent any time alone with Evergreen, really. Maybe if he spent the night at her house and Elfman was asleep or out doing something.

But to go somewhere alone? Just the two of them? It sounded great.

He really did like his aunt. She was a lot colder than his other one, but that was just the difference in personality between Lisanna and Ever. Lisanna was bubbly and happy while Evergreen was usually more reserved. It was hard to get close to her, but Elfman kept Orion constantly for Mira, which meant he and the woman had to get along.

Knowing later that he was Laxus' son, a man that Evergreen revered above all others, well, he figured that that had done a lot to help too. Still, he knew a bigger part of it was also that she had no children of her own (and vehemently claimed she wanted none), leaving him to fill that void (that she'd claim wasn't there). She was always the first to buy him toys and gifts, taking the role as both the mean and spoil inducing relative in one swoop.

Then she didn't show up.

He was all ready too, sitting up at the hall with Mirajane as she opened, waiting on the woman. And waiting. When two hours passed, Mira told him that there was a good chance that something came up, but he didn't think so.

What could be more important than taking him to get the shoes that he wanted since forever?

Honestly?

As the hours tacked on and he went through juice after juice, eventually Lisanna got her break and offered to take him to get ice cream or something.

"And stop by Ever's?" he asked hopefully.

Lisanna, who'd gotten to work late because she spent the whole night with a sobbing Elfman, knew that that would do no good.

"Uh, no," she said slowly. "Ever's probably busy. But me and you could go get-"

"I don't want ice cream." He went back to moping. "I want my shoes."

Erza, who he happened to be sitting with, frowned at that. "Do not be ungrateful, Orion. I am sure that Evergreen has a very valid reason for not showing up."

"I wouldn't go that far," Lisanna said, "but she's right, Ori. Come on. Ice cream will make you feel tons better."

He couldn't recall if they went and got ice cream that day or not, but he did remember the next one, when Ever came to get him from his house bright and early (Mira either had the day off or wasn't working the morning shift because neither of them had been up when she got there). She kept hugging him and asking if he wanted to go then. They'd get breakfast, shop, find some other things to do, and even get lunch. Wherever he wanted.

"I don't want to," he told her with a frown.

"Orion-"

"You promised," he told her. "Then you didn't come. And I waited and waited."

"I know. But-"

"I didn't even go practice 'cause I was waiting for you."

"I'm sorry. Is there anything else you want? Huh? A different pair of shoes or-"

"Ever, I don't-" his mother had tried, but Evergreen was having none of it. If there was anything Orion knew about his aunt, it was that she was a pleaser. To the people that she wanted to be. Like Laxus.

And, on that occasion (and many others), him.

It should have dawned on him before that something was up with that. Sure, Evergreen was his aunt, but only by marriage. And more importantly than that, she didn't like any of the other children in the guild. Literally any of them. And she only liked his Uncle Elf half the time. Which left no reason at all for her to enjoy him so much.

Other than him being the son of the man that she and her two friends had admired their entire life.

Apparently.

It was much the same the day of the funeral. She wouldn't stop bugging him. He knew, of course, that it had little to do with the Master's passing and more to do with the fact he was upset with her over the Laxus thing. He was actually upset with all of them. From Lisanna and Erza. He blamed them all.

But Ever couldn't stand the thought of it. Or so it seemed, anyhow.

She left her hands on his shoulders throughout the whole service. Not that he paid much attention, really. She was annoying, fine, and yeah, he was pissed at her, but it was his mother that he couldn't stop glaring over at. She was standing with Laxus, towards the front of the crowd (he'd always seen Master as the old guild master with little to do, but apparently he had many friends, if his funeral turnout was any indication), constantly rubbing at his arm or whispering things to him. It was killing Orion. Literally. She was rubbing salt in a festering wound and he just didn't get how she couldn't see it.

Fine. Laxus had lost his grandfather. That sucked. And, had Orion not officially hated him forever by that point, he might have cared. In fact, he definitely would have. But at the same time, he was hurting too. He was suffering just the same, if not more.

He finally had his wish. He was getting everything that he wanted. But it was a bitter pill and he wasn't sure when his body would stop having aftereffects.

He had a father. The one that he wanted. Laxus Dreyar. He wasn't just going to date his mother or whatever stupid thing he wanted before (it sounded so childish in his head whenever he thought about it after that) and become his stepfather. He was his actual father. By blood.

And he sucked. He didn't want him. He was an asshole that used his mother and then had the audacity to allow him to make a fool of himself by worshiping the ground he walked on.

He had a grandfather. Who he loved more than anything and respected on the same level that he once did Laxus. He'd always treated him well and his mother loved the old man.

But he was dead. And the last time he ever got to see him, the least time they'd ever spoken, he'd run from the room over selfish reasons. So what? Laxus was his father. He could have dealt with that any time. He'd wasted the last hours of the man's life crying for himself.

If ever he could have something back, it was that. And the second thing would have been Laxus.

Even as he stood there, watching Laxus stare at his grandfather's casket, he would be a liar to say he didn't feel the tug. For so long his only goal had been to win the man's respect. To be considered, if not an equal, then at least a cut above the rest in the guild. And, when he finally achieved it, Orion found it to be far too short lived.

How could he go from loving the man with all his heart one day to hating his guts the next?

He wasn't sure, but he was trying his hardest. The part of him that was so used to bowing to the man, to showing him the utmost adoration at every turn was having trouble shutting down. It was such a big part of his life for so long and it wasn't mixing well with the anger swirling around inside of him.

Once again, he felt selfish for thinking about such things at the Master's funeral, but he couldn't help it. He didn't want to. But it was just…

His mother. Honestly, that was the biggest thing he was still getting all caught up on. How could she just stand over there, at his side, when she knew that Orion was across the crowd, mourning just as much? Praying for the man just as much? Holding just as many damn tears back as Laxus?

How? How could she do that to him? She was taking his side. Quite literally. She was over there with him, while he was off by himself. Why did he think that it would be any different?

When he really thought about it, he was talking about the same woman that not only let the man skate by without ever recognizing his son, but also allowed him to toy with the boy. Play with him. Laxus played Orion. Plain and simple. At least the way he saw it. He allowed him to think that they were friends, that they were buddies, that he actually cared about him. Only to find out what? That it was just a game the entire time?

Laxus being an ass was enough of a reason as to why he would do something like that, but his mother? The sweetest, most kindhearted person Orion knew? She allowed it all to happen. She was at the center of it.

Which he knew was wrong. His mother loved him. He just knew she did. All the sacrifices she must have made to even had him proved that. She did choose him over Laxus. When it mattered the most.

But…his mind wasn't with him that day. All he could see was her, grieving with him. Holding his hand. Speaking to people so he didn't have to. As if she hadn't promised Orion only a few nights ago that, if he wanted, she wouldn't have anything to do with the man. As if it didn't matter that he was her son, her blood, her baby. Nope. Laxus was in pain so she was just gonna go tend to him and leave Orion behind.

It was really hard to pretend like that didn't hurt worse than anything Laxus had ever done to him.

Not that Mira saw it that way. Of course not. It didn't even really cross her mind to do anything differently than she was. From the second Makarov died, the first place her mind went was to Orion. And what that would mean to him.

She knew that he loved the Master and, though his passing was a long time coming, it wasn't to him. He was just another adult that the boy was raised around. He hadn't had years upon years with him. Just a few, really, in the grand scheme of things and no doubt felt robbed of even though, as he wasted them not even knowing their true relation. It was really sad in that way and, when she did cry over Makarov, it was more for that than anything else.

But Orion didn't deal with death the same way she did. He never had. He'd always been much more serious than his mother and, in some ways, darker. Or at least more clear headed. He'd understood death from a very early age. She could recall in particularly once, when he was about four, and one of the neighborhood strays she fed (housed in her backyard) passed away.

"You know," she told him after she had Elf dig a hole for him to be buried back there, "the doggy just went to sleep. It's a lot less painful for you, to go to sleep. You remember how old he was getting?"

Orion was out there with her, sitting on porch steps, playing with some of his toy cars. "He breathed bad."

"It was all raggedy, yeah," Mira said with a sad smile as she sat next to him. "But he feels all better now."

"Really?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Even though he died?"

And he tilted his head back then, to stare up at her with equally deep blue eyes, awaiting an explanation. Mira's sad smile though just turned to a hard frown.

"D-Died? I told you he went to sleep."

"Oh." He went back to his car. "No, Mommy, he died. That's how come we put him in the hole."

" _I_ know that," she said. "But you weren't supposed to know that."

He knew a lot of things back then. Mirajane took him everywhere with her and, by default, he overhead many things. Like Mira asking Elf to come over and dig a hole for the dead dog.

When he didn't say anything to that, Mirajane only moved closer. "Well, anyways, yes, he died. It's kinda sad, huh?"

He only shrugged.

"Because he was a good dog. Wasn't he?"

Another shrug.

"Ori-"

"He'll be died for a long time?"

She blinked. "Dead. And yes. He'll be dead forever."

"Oh." That time, he really paused before saying, "I'll miss him."

"Me too."

"But he won't breathe bad no more?" He looked at her again. "Right?"

Leaning down, Mirajane brushed a kiss against his head before mumbling, "Right."

And, with a grin, he went right back to playing and never mentioned the dog again.

It always bothered Mira, that he didn't share in her overflowing emotions parade she had, oh, ever day. The only thing that really ever got him going was if one of the other kids (mainly Radic) mentioned something about his father, but not much else. Then he'd come to her in tears and cry and fuss and get angry. Anything else and she got nothing out of him.

Which was not fun. At all. Lisanna told her though whenever she complained about it though that really, she was rather lucky. She had such highs and lows that dealing with a child with the same affliction (her sister's word, not hers) would just be problematic.

Orion just dealt with too many things on his own. Which Mira knew she should have been proud of. That he was so grown up. That he was so mature. And the older he got, the worse it got. He was so worried about her and her working so much that he came to her with nothing, for fear of bothering her.

Or at least that's what she assumed he thought. That she was just too busy to deal with whatever silly emotions he had. In fear of this, she tried many times to coax things out of him, but all she ever got was his annoyance at Bickslow if they'd been training together or how much he hated Radic. Oh, and a bunch of Laxus garb. She got that one a lot.

His personality was just so much more…dim. And bleak. He depicted the world in much more dismal shades than her. Sure, to Mira, bad things happened, but so did good. Many good.

The only good thing he ever wanted though was Laxus to pay some attention to him.

And as much as she hated it, his bleak outlook was turning into truth. Laxus was paying a lot of attention to him. Just not for the reasons he would have liked.

Mira just kept looking for some sort of easy median. In the days following Makarov's death, that's all she wanted. All she knew the Master would have wanted. For Laxus and Orion to do what he and Ivan and, in turn, Ivan and Laxus hadn't been able to do. Come together. Be together. If not as father and son then, at the very least, friends. Guild mates.

And it wasn't like she wasn't swamped with other things. Laxus was rather distraught, the whole Orion mess coming down on him at the same time, so the funeral arrangements were mostly left up to her. Then she still had the bar to worry about and, well, everyone in it, as though they'd all known the man was close to his finale, it was still a hard one to take. Fairy Tail had raised a good number of them and, honestly, saved them.

Makarov had changed all their lives. And then, just like that, he was gone.

The last thing Mirajane wanted to seem to Orion was unavailable, especially considering all the news that was crashing down around him all at once, but there wasn't a lot that she could do. With Makarov's passing, she wasn't able to just sit around the house and talk things out with him. Things had to get done. Letters had to be sent. And, as much as she hated it, Laxus did need to be taken care of too.

So was he on the back burner? Definitely not. He was in the lead of all of her thoughts. But at the same time, just because he was in the front did not mean that he was the only one getting any attention at all. And if he felt like he was getting none, well, there just wasn't much that she could do about that until the funeral was all over with.

By default, however, she and Laxus somehow found themselves alone together. A lot. Not that there was anything in that other than remorse. Laxus felt as if Makarov died thinking that he hated him, after what happened with Orion, and mostly just cried to her. A lot. And though she'd told Orion that she wouldn't have anything to do with him, it wasn't like she could just let the man pour his heart out to her and do nothing. She was the only one that Laxus felt like he could be that way with. She had to sit there and rub his shoulders and promise him that it would be okay.

Honestly, she just did.

And at the funeral, she didn't even think about it as standing wit one or the other. She thought that Orion would come over to her and Laxus, at first, but then she got so caught up in what was going on that she didn't think much about it. He was fine, she knew, over there with Evergreen and Lisanna. He'd told her that constantly the past few days. That he was fine. To stop asking him that.

Laxus, however, wasn't fine and did need her. Or at least someone. And though the Thunder Legion was always there for him, Freed just didn't seem to be who he wanted. Or Ever. And Bickslow wasn't much help in any situation.

No, he wanted his demon. And his boy. But his boy was mad at him. So he'd settle for the demon. If he had to.

He just couldn't get over the fact that Makarov passed so soon after what happened. All the times that Laxus had been an ass to the man, back when he was younger, and he'd always been able to make up with him. Always. Now, the one time that he really laid into him about something, the man went on. He left him.

What if he thought that Laxus was serious? About how he hated him? And that if something happened to Mirajane, if she got sick and died it would be his fault? And that if Orion hated him, if they never got their relationship fixed, it'd been on his hands? Then he'd stormed off, growling about how the man only ever ruined his life, always got the people he cared about to leave him, from his father to his son, and that as far as he was concerned, they could never talk again and he'd be fine.

Since they wouldn't be talking again though, surely in the life he was in then, Laxus felt completely different. Makarov was the closest thing to a real father he'd ever had. And he wanted him back. Or at least those final words back. And he wanted his boy back. Orion. He didn't want them to ever be like that. He never wanted him to be mad at him again. He wanted things to work out with the demon and he could be Orion's father and they could all be happy.

But no. That couldn't happen. It would never happen. Laxus was doomed to have tattered relationships with everyone he cared about. Except for the Thunder Legion. They were always happy with him. For some reason.

At the funeral he was glad to have Mira at his side. Honestly, he wanted Orion too. Makarov, now openly, was his great-grandfather. He was part of the family. He always had been, really. And even if there hadn't been a big reveal, he'd have let the boy stand with him. He'd have asked him to. Known relation or not, Makarov was important to both Orion and Mirajane.

But Orion didn't wanna go over there, Laxus knew. He also knew how angry he was with him. And, with other things on his mind anyhow, Laxus found it best to let him cool off for awhile. He figured a week or two after the funeral, he could talk to him. They'd have a heart to heart which, usually, Laxus would hate, but for the boy, he could manage.

Not that Orion wanted him to 'manage.' Or to do anything for him. At all. There wasn't any doubt in his mind what it was he was feeling deep down. It was hatred. Pure and unadulterated. The man had lied to him for years, toyed with him, and, not to mention, used his mother.

He didn't need Laxus. At all. And he didn't want him. It was his fault that he was gone when the Master passed. All his fault. Laxus had done nothing, but screw things up for him and he never planned on forgiving him.

Erza spoke at the funeral and said some really nice things. She was the only one that Orion managed to pay attention to. Everyone else was just there to him. And, when it was all over, they were supposed to be going to the guildhall for some sort of funeral repast, but Orion didn't want to go to that.

When he said this to his Aunt Lisanna, she frowned at him.

"You have to," she said simply. "I know that you don't understand, but it's just one of those things that you do."

But he did understand. And though usually he was the first to follow anything that his aunts told him to do, that was not one of them. As much as he hated it, Makarov was dead. And the funeral and reception after weren't for him. The man was gone. They were for his family. And his family, publicly, was Laxus. And Orion was not going to anything to give support to that man.

They were lucky he even went to the funeral.

His absence at the reception did not go unnoticed. By his mother, at least.

"What do you mean he's not coming?" Mirajane asked when her sister mentioned what he said to her. "Master never did anything to him. Why would he not come to his-"

"He's upset, Mira," Lisanna said with a shrug. "And now's not the time to focus on it, remember? We have a whole bar full of people."

Well, Lisanna did. Laxus decreed that Mirajane wouldn't be serving anyone anything that day and would just sit with him and the Thunder Legion.

She was too tired and beat down to fight it. Besides, people had brought food and such to the guild as a potluck almost. The only thing Lisanna would be bringing people was beer and drinks, if they wanted it. She could do that on her own.

"Where's Orion?" Laxus asked once as they sat there with one another, hardly speaking. Bickslow had gone off to talk to people, Freed was in the bathroom, and Ever was consoling Elfman (again). In a room full of people, the demon and the dragon were alone. "Mirajane?"

"Laxus, you know that this has been hard on him," she said, glancing at him. They were next to each other, but he didn't look at her. Just straight ahead.

"He should be here."

"He's a kid," she said. "A very emotional one who-"

"That boy," Laxus grumbled as his eyes darted around, looking at all the people, "is not emotional."

"He is so. He just wouldn't ever let you know that," she argued. "This has hurt him. Deeply. He-"

"I know."

"I know that you know, Laxus, but it doesn't mean that you don't need to keep hearing it."

Shaking his head slightly, he asked, "How are you?"

"Me?" When he nodded, she asked, "With?"

"With everything, Mira. I mean Gramps and Orion and-"

"I'm fine." Then, swallowing, she paused before asking him, "How are you?"

He only shrugged. "He was old."

"I meant with Ori."

There was a pause before, slowly he said, "I can't be mad at him. This is my fault, I know. But I just want him to understand. That's all. If he could understand-"

"He loved you, Laxus," she told him softly. "And you broke his heart. It'll take more than a little understanding to fix that."

"Yeah." Sighing, he looked off. "I just wish there was something I could say."

"Have you tried sorry?"

"Sorry? Mira, I was doing this to-"

"Sometimes, dragon," she whispered as he finally turned to look at her though his eyes were locked in a glare. "You don't say that you're sorry because you are. You say sorry because you love the person and care about them and know that if pandering to them will work, well, then you just do it."

Laxus had no rebuttal to that and only said, "Today's about Gramps. Tomorrow and every day after that can be about Orion. And if he doesn't want to be here, fine. We all grieve differently."

That much was true. And, that day, Orion decided to grieve by not openly grieving at all. Makarov was dead. And he knew that the last thing the man would ever want him to do was spend the rest of his life worrying about that. No, he'd want Orion to get better, Master would. That's all he'd ever wanted from him. To be the best that he could be. And, well, the only way to do that was to keep training.

He never thought that his first few days as an S-Class would be so backwards. He hadn't even gone off on his own solo job yet. And, honestly, he was still weighing if he even wanted to be a part of Fairy Tail anymore.

Err, that wasn't exactly right. Fairy Tail was his family. Literally. His mother, aunts, and uncle were all well known mages and, apparently, the man that fathered him was even the guild's master, and his great-grandfather before him. Orion was a fairy by blood.

But sometimes it doesn't matter how thick something is. It only has as much meaning as you're willing to give it. And knowing that he had Dreyar blood coursing through his veins made Orion realize just how hollow his father's identity had always been.

He wasn't a Dreyar. And he wouldn't have been whatever any other man's family name had been. He was a Strauss. He looked like them. He thought like them. He loved them. And no part of him loved Laxus anymore.

Orion spent the day learning new spells. He went to the bookstore first, to see if there were any interesting books to get, but nothing caught his interest. And the library was already closed for the day, so that was out. Most of his books usually came from the bookroom at the guildhall, but there was no way he was going there.

That left one place.

Now, Orion did not at all consider it breaking into Erza's house. No way. He went into her house without her being around all the time. Granted, she usually had prior knowledge, but a few times he'd gone in there to avoid going home, if he knew that his aunts were over or something and he just didn't feel like dealing with them. She was pretty open to it. Or at least the few times she'd caught him over, she hadn't said anything about it. Only griped if he left a wet towel on the floor after a shower.

Orion wasn't sure and he knew that Erza wouldn't admit it if it was, but he was pretty certain that she was a lot like his Aunt Ever. She didn't have a child and never would (for many reasons, but mainly the fact that it would impede on her warrior status), but she did have him. And she was proud of him. She told him that sometimes (not often) and though it didn't feel as great as when Mirajane said it, it was still something.

"What are you doing here?"

Except that time, there was someone else around. Really, if Orion's head hadn't been in such a mixed up place, he would have sensed the immense magic energy, but it wasn't that big of a deal anyways. Really, the person only made him frown.

"I could ask you the same thing," he grumbled as the man only laid there on Erza's couch, hardly having even rose. "Jellal."

"We both know why I am here," he said simply as Orion walked through the woman's living room and over to her bookcase. It wasn't big, as she did not own many magical spell books, but Orion also knew that really it was because she had all her actually reading material (if you could call it that) in another bookcase in her bedroom.

But Jellal was right. Somewhat. He knew that the man would come and visit the swordswoman occasionally (he was pretty sure what they did couldn't be classified as dating, but they also weren't married and fell into some sort of awkward place that was reserved only for them), but he also knew that the timing was off. The man had just been there, six months ago, and even though there was a chance that he just got freed up again so close to before, it was almost too coincidental.

"You're here for Master's…"

"More or less," Jellal agreed. "Though not necessarily directly, Fairy Tail has done much for me over the years and a lot of it was done under the supervision of the man. I have come to pay my respects, but was unable to do so openly. So I came here, to mourn him and visit his grave late tonight."

"And to see Erza."

"Always to see Erza." Sitting up then, slowly, Jellal asked, "Well?"

"I need a book."

"Surely not one that I am thinking of."

"Surely not."

"Then?"

"Erza has some spell books," the boy said, taking one from a shelf and glancing it over. "Advanced ones. That's what I need now that I-"

"You are S-Class," the man finished for him. "Yes. I have heard."

"Erza told me?"

"Erza told me plenty," he said. "She is quite…excited."

"What did she say?"

"Many things. Mostly though that you have done so before any of the others children and that she had a heavy hand in that."

Orion didn't wanna let on how happy that made him. It also wasn't a day to feel happiness, so he left nothing at all evident on his face. Just glanced over at him.

"I suppose she did."

"Really?" Jellal shrugged some. "I thought it was just more of her immodest bragging."

"Immodest?" Snort. "Hardly. Erza is- And you're joking." Sigh. "Well, anyhow, I got what I need now, so-"

"Why are you not with all of your friends?"

Orion had been turning to head back to the front door then, but stopped at the man's words and turned to face him.

"My what?"

"Your…guild members, I suppose." Jellal didn't know the boy well, but Erza told him about him frequently. He knew that friends was a loose term to use, but he'd been at a loss for words. It was a tender subject, after all, that he was hinting at. "Surely the reception Erza told me of is still-"

"I don't want to go to that."

"Oh." Jellal shrugged. "You are quite young. I am sure that Makarov did not mean-"

"He meant everything to me." And for some reason, that statement had some force behind it. Orion knew, of course, that Jellal did not mean to be offhanded, but rather just dismissive. He thought he knew the answer (as he typically did with most things) and had stated it.

But he was wrong.

"Ah." Jellal looked him in the eyes then, which was odd to the two of them. For two of the most important men in Erza's life, they hardly had any true relationship. "I did not think that you would mention it, so I would not."

"Mention what?"

"You know what. That your mother and Master Laxus…"

"Oh, great. Even you knew?"

"Erza enjoys telling me of many things," the man said with a nod.

"Then you've always known. Since I was-"

"It was not something that concerned me or currently does, but for the sake of this conversation, yes." Bowing his head, he said, "I even recall a few…dates that Erza and I accompanied your parents on. One in particular when Mirajane actually had to drag him there-"

"I don't want to hear about that." He gripped the book then, Orion did, before turning to walk away. "At all."

"Yes. Erza mentioned that as well. Your anger with Laxus." Then, after a pause, Jellal asked, "Is that why you are not at the reception?"

Orion didn't have to talk to him. At all. He hardly even ever saw Jellal. Just heard about his visits from Erza. But for some reason, he found himself speaking. Maybe it was the fact that he thought that he was the only one that could understand. That was such an outside observer that he would side with him. Would sympathize with him.

So he spilled. All the things that he hadn't been able to tell his mother. That he'd kept from his aunts. That he just knew his uncle wouldn't get. Or that Erza would rebuke him for feeling. To a complete stranger, practically, he was about to say everything that had been running through his mind, bothering him the past week, and all the thoughts that he was having over Makarov's death and Laxus' arrogance as well as Mirajane's betrayal. It all came out, as he was standing there, in the living room of a woman who was grieving the loss of one of her dearest mentors to a man who had caused her enough pain over the years that, really, Orion shouldn't even like him.

And he didn't. Not particularly. He really had no viewpoint on Jellal. He had just been the invisible fixture in Erza's life that occasionally Orion heard some really harsh (and mostly true) gossip about. At the moment though, he was just an unlucky and unlikely bystander who got to watch the teenage unleash all of his woes upon.

Jellal just sat there though, on the couch, watching the boy as he detailed every single thought in his head, it seemed. He didn't talk, though occasionally he did make noises of agreement or the like, as well as nodded his head. And when Orion was done, he was red in the face, the book luckily being a hardback, saving it from being wrung into a mangled mess. His breath was rapid and he didn't know what else to say. Was there anything else? He thought he had everything out.

Letting that all sit for a moment or two, Jellal seemed to mull it all over. Orion had to have ranted for over ten minutes at least. It was a lot to take in.

"I," he finally said softly, "had a man once, who helped raise me, in some manner of speaking. He taught me the most magnificent magic. I am unmatched to this day by many because of it. But he was only using me, manipulating me for his own gain."

"And what? You felt betrayed or-"

Jellal shrugged. "All the other things in my life, any ill-wishes would be wasted on such a man. If I wanted, I could lay blame for my upbringing on many others before he even enters my mind. But as it is, I've found little use for those sorts of thoughts no matter who they're directed at."

That one got a snort. "Yeah, well, I do. So-"

"My point, Orion," he sighed, reaching up to rub at his eyes, "is that I too have felt betrayal over my life. From many people, granted, but Brain seems the most parallel to your situation. If only slightly. And I think, personally, that though your resentment and anger over it is much higher than what I had and rightfully so, it would also be easier to find some forgiveness in your heart."

"And why's that?"

"You wouldn't be so upset if you did not have some amount of love still left inside of you as well." Jellal shrugged. "And if I understand things the way I think I do from Erza, who admittedly has a problem with embellishment at times, there's a high chance the relationship between Mirajane and the Master is far from over."

"She told me that she wouldn't…"

"And you told me that you saw them together, at the funeral. Right?" That time Jellal grinned at him, if only slightly. "The two of them cannot stay far from one another and now without the threat of you finding out not keeping them away, they probably-"

"She's _my_ mother," he hissed. "And what has he ever done for her anyways? She'll choose me over him. Every time. She said so. She said-"

"And I believe that," Jellal agreed softly. "But the question is not what she'll do, but what you will. Would you honestly force her to make that decisions? When all the Master has ever done was help you?"

"Help me?" He couldn't help the heavy snort that time. "I thought you were on my side, man. Screw you. What do you know?"

"Side? I have no side," Jellal assured him. "Personally, the way I see it, this will have all blown up by the time I come around again and Erza will be onto the next wave of the never-ending drama that seems to plague Fairy Tail."

"And that's why you don't know shit."

"Maybe." His grin was distorted then, in a way that only Jellal could accomplish. "And honestly, I don't care about this. At all. But you have opened up to me, so I feel the need to say my peace now. It won't matter, in a few years, what it is that they hid from you or what lies they told you. And I know that it does now, but as someone who has lost much in his life, this honestly does not sound too bad to me. You have always looked up to the man? Yes? And I could see how this could ruin your image of the man, but all the same, surely, you realize that this is a best case scenario. You have acquired a man that you admire as your father. What could be better?"

"Gee, not having them lie to me? Or trick me? Or-"

"Mistakes, certainly," he agreed. "But have you bothered to speak with the man on his decision? I assume through your close relationship that he has grown to regret it, but wasn't sure how to tell you. Would you have taken it better at twelve? How about ten? Eight then? Or was it more once the die was cast there was no way of removing it from the solution?"

When Orion didn't speak, Jellal finally got to his feet to head out of the room and into the connecting kitchen. Over his shoulder though, he did call out to the boy.

"Congrats on S-Class, all the same," he offered. "And do not feel the need to take any of my words into consideration. I've been with Erza for over a decade now, and I'm still convinced she has never taken a single word I've said to heart. I am a fool who speaks eloquently enough to convince others my words are divine. A curse in its own right, no? But I suppose I will tell Erza that you stopped by and borrowed that book, if you wish."

He just stood there for a moment, Orion did, staring down at the spell book in his hand before slowly calling out to the man, "No. I…I'll tell her myself."

And he planned to. Really, he did. He was going to go to the guildhall, speak to Erza, pay some more respects to the Master, and, maybe, try talking to his mother.

Not Laxus though. He wasn't ready for that. But his mother, he could handle.

Like usual though, things didn't go exactly as planned. Namely, when he showed up at the guild, he didn't even make it into the hall. No, Radic along with some of the other teens, were hanging around just outside the gates. They'd grown up with Makarov, sure, but he hadn't meant as much to them as the previous generations and they were allowing the adults to mourn inside as they did to a much lesser extent outside.

Honestly, Orion had avoided the guild since the news of Laxus being his father broke and hadn't really had any interaction with the other kids. A few of them had spoken to him at the funeral, just in the standard way, but he and Radic had somehow missed one another.

That wasn't the case anymore.

He felt it too, Orion did, the second he was through the gates. Radic's red eyed gaze was heavy and thick. Orion, though a few years younger than him, held a title that he'd vied for over the years, constantly attempting to one up his father who'd never grasped it. If Orion had wanted it to prove himself to Laxus, Radic desired it to mortify his father. Rub the salt into the wound harder. He didn't just want to surpass Gajeel, he wanted to annihilate him.

Now though, he'd only managed to be embarrassed by the Strauss once again and, well, that just wasn't going to cut it.

Orion almost walked passed him. He would have, honestly, had the older guy not reached out and grabbed him, rather roughly, and pulled him to a stop. Radic had left the others behind for once, as they just stood and watched from the sidelines. Though no one would call Orion a friend, they'd all grown up some over the years and had no ill will against him. Not by any regard. Still, Radic was a brute when it came to most things and it was time to put up or shut up. Orion was S-Class now. If he wanted to hold that title, it was finally time to prove, in their eyes anyways, that he deserved it.

For some reason, the hate was there in Radic's eyes right from the start. He wasted no time on formalities. Didn't start off with their usual round of pre-fight jabs. He tried to punch him, right off the bat.

Which was just stupid, honestly. And what did it prove? Orion had his bows on him. They'd be using magic at some point. It was just a given. Honestly, a battle of physicality, fine, Radic might have him beat. But that wasn't all there was to being a mage. Not by a long shot.

Anyhow, the punch was wild and easy enough to fall back from.

"The fuck's your problem?" Orion hissed. They might have wanted him to fight, Radic might have seen it as him having to prove himself, but he did not feel the same sentiment. At all. Makarov's funeral had only been hours before and, for all intents and purposes, fine, they were at the hall, but they were also at his repast. There was no way that he was about to fight with the other teen there. He had way more respect for the old man than that. "Dude, we're at-"

But he was swinging at him again and Orion just wasn't feeling it. At all.

"You coward or something?" Radic hissed as, once again, he tried to back away. "Huh? Mr. S-Class? Or you just don't want us all to see that your _daddy_ gave you the title?"

And it wasn't like Orion was stupid. That he didn't know that the whole thing had been like wildfire and spread maddeningly. Of course Radic knew. They all knew. But it was just so infuriating to hear him even suggest the _exact same thing Orion had been thinking since he found out_.

He lost it then. That someone else spoke aloud the same thing that had been haunting him, that not only was his perfect image of Laxus ruined, but also that his dream of being S-Class was going to be forever tainted by his apparent paternity set something off in his brain. He didn't even think about it. He just lost control.

It wasn't fair. Radic had a father and a mother and friends and he was, honestly, wicked strong, but still picked on him. Every fucking day he lived just to make Orion's life hell. And why? Because he was quiet? Because he loved his mother? Because he didn't wanna play along with his stupid games? Didn't submit to him like everyone else? Is that what he wanted?

No. Because even when they were kids and Orion did submit, did give in, did run off in freaking _tears_ it did no good. It never did any good. Radic would just come back for more and more and more. A constant feeding.

There was no sense to it. None that Orion could figure, anyhow. Sure, sometimes top dogs dug into people at the bottom of the pack, but even that was out. If his S-Class status said anything, Orion wasn't that. At all. He wasn't even in the pack! And he didn't want to be. He didn't wanna be friends with any of those idiots. At all. He wanted them to do their thing and leave him to his. If it was up to him, they wouldn't even have to share niceties. Just ignore one another completely when they crossed paths.

So…why did Radic hate him so much then?

Orion didn't remember it all, or at least it didn't come to him immediately, but he remembered there being a struggle between he and Radic. Even once, the other teen had him pinned to the ground and it didn't seem like he was getting back up.

But just like that, somehow, he had the upper hand again. And somehow had managed to get his bow off his back.

He had him then, Radic, as he was on his knees, ready to fire one off at the Redfox boy who was still on his back. He had an arrow poised too, ready to fly right through his flesh, they were at that close a range. But it was then that he noticed that Radic's eyes weren't on him. No, they were passed him, staring behind Orion and over at the front of the guildhall.

Apparently, they'd caused too much of a commotion.

"Do you," hissed Erza as she came out of the hall, "know what you are doing?"

She wasn't alone, of course, as a few others had came to get a glimpse at what idiots were foolish enough to fight at the reception for their master's grandfather's funeral. Just the usual ones, it seemed, of the new age.

The only eyes that Orion caught though as Erza came to pull him up (none too gently either), were Laxus'. He was standing there, Mirajane with him, in the back of everyone, face void, but eyes locking with his almost immediately. Orion didn't know why, but he felt almost sheepish, as if the man had caught him doing something wrong. As if it would matter if he did.

What was Laxus to him then? Nothing, he kept trying to convince himself. It wasn't going well. Would he spend the rest of forever though with the same task?

Erza and Laxus had both messed him up though. And, in his shock of her pulling them off, two things happened. One, Orion noticed that the book he borrowed from her had somehow managed to land in some mud. And two, he released the taut bow.

The arrow hit it's mark too as it traveled the very short distance into the palm of Radic's raised hand. He must have thought Erza would hit him or something. Whatever the reason he'd raised it, he learned to regret it as the arrow sliced through the calloused flesh of his palm, skewering his hand.

Orion had miscalculated before, once, when he was practicing with Bickslow, and managed to give the man a pretty gnarly scar on his shoulder.

"What's a man without a few scars?" Bickslow joked at times, though back when it happened, it hadn't been nearly as funny.

Because of that, for the longest time, Erza made him use dulled arrows.

"You are not shooting to hunt or kill," she would scold whenever he whined about this. "The magic you infuse is your main goal. That is all."

But the older he got, the more reign he got over what he did with his magic and weapons. So he did sharpen a few, some more than others, just in case. It wasn't like he planned on seriously injuring someone or something. Not unless they deserved it.

And though he hated Radic, he purely detested the guy, he didn't deserve that.

It wasn't life threatening, of course, and though painful and bloody, it was patched up easily enough. He didn't even have to go to the hospital. Orion's mother and another woman in the guild rushed Radic up to the infirmary to take care of it.

The worse part to Orion was the way his mother looked at him as she carted the other teen off. Like he'd disappointed her or something.

That had more or less killed the reception and, all those not accustomed to the guild and the non-members cleared out about then. Even a few members did, as the mood before had been somewhat celebratory, over Makarov's life, but had been brought down once more by the teens' misbehavior.

Erza stuck around though. Of course. And chewed Orion out. About disrespect and how irresponsible he was becoming. And that yes, his life was turned upside down, but to pull a stunt like that at the Master's reception was unacceptable. Then she noticed her book in the mud and, well, he'd lost Erza for a week, at least.

They would make up later, of course, when he went over to her house one more, bright and early, to cut some tree limbs without being asked and mow the grass. It was hard for the swordswoman to stay mad at him for long anyways.

That day though, Erza left him feeling like shit. And the fact that it was Laxus waiting for him after she was done didn't make him feel much better.

"Don't let her upset you," he said simply after Erza, still fuming, headed off, leaving him standing there looking like an idiot. The slayer had only come over to him after she was gone, face void and hands slipped into his pockets. The crowd was dying down then, most everyone scurrying off inside and the teens that were hanging around before rushing off to check on Radic. "She's just pissed that-"

"I don't," Orion growled as his eyes followed Erza as she left the hall, "want to talk to you."

"Orion-"

"No," he hissed and, since he was already so worked up from all that he'd put up with previously, he went on. "You lied to me every fucking day of my life and now you want to talk to me? Like we're friends? We're not friends. I hate you. I _hate_ you. It's your fault that I couldn't have been there when Master needed me. It's your fault that my mom had to spend all these years alone. Because you're a selfish jackass that sat there and paraded all those stupid women around the guild and acting like it was so cool. You had me think that you were cool. You're not cool, Laxus. You're an asshole and I fucking hate you. Why don't you get that? Just leave me alone."

Laxus would have liked to point out then that he lied to him, fine, but it wasn't as big a deal as the kid was making it out to be. He wasn't using Orion. He wasn't toying with him. He was just… He just wanted to be there for him. Even if he couldn't be a father to him, he wanted to be the closest thing to it that he could get, to guide him without doing so openly. And maybe he got a tad too good at it, but so what? And they had been friends. Perhaps a bit awkwardly, given the age difference, but they'd been more than a father and son could be. Because Laxus was able to treat him as an equal and it made things special.

Fine. He was an asshole. But he was _not_ the reason Mirajane was alone. She was. She was the one that was always afraid of bringing other men around Orion, the one that sabotaged every chance at happiness with another man that she ever found. Tearing holes in every guy that came around until he just didn't anymore. That wasn't his fault.

And no. He did not 'parade' women around her. Ever. The women in his life were always very separate from her. He never took them by the guild, never boasted in front of her. Did she bring them up to him sometimes? Yes. But that was just out of pettiness. They weren't together, him and her. Not in the genuine sense. They just slept together sometimes. And she was welcome to other men at any time. And as far as he knew, she partook in it.

So how could he be blamed for the same? He was tired of taking the brunt of the distaste for doing the exact same things as her just because he was the man. Because he was supposed to abstain from things, because poor Mirajane was raising the son that he was still paying for, looking after, taking care of from afar, all by herself. You know, the son she chose to keep and, last time he checked, was just as involved in making.

And he never wanted to be cool. At all. Laxus didn't live his life trying to pander to idiots. He didn't want others look up to him. If they did, fine. If they didn't, whatever. It'd always been that way. Would he still be the best and establish dominance in every way possible? Hell yeah. Because he was him. But he wasn't doing it to be cool. And if Orion didn't see him in that way, fine. He never fucking asked him to!

But instead of saying any of that, instead of arguing his very valid points, Laxus didn't even glare at the kid. Didn't buck up to him. Didn't put him in his place.

No. For once, he didn't feel like playing tough for Orion. For them all. Makarov was dead. His son hated him. The demon was…he didn't even know.

What was the point of feigning anything anymore?

"I'm sorry," he whispered, Mirajane's words from before resounding in his mind. "Orion."

That, honestly, was the last thing that the teenager was expecting and, using his shock to his advantage, Laxus was able to keep speaking without interruption.

"I'm sorry, Orion, that I'm such a shitty person," he told him, voice soft and actually sincere for once. "I'm not a good guy. And I was an even worse one before that. And before that? You don't even want to know.

"But it's not an excuse. And I know that. So I'm not going to make one. Not tonight. One day, me and you can talk about it. Really talk about it. One day when you want to listen and I don't want to be so defensive. And it still probably won't all make sense to you, but that's okay. It's all okay.

"'cause…I love you, boy. And I didn't ever wanna have to tell you that, but Ivan never wanted to tell me either and I don't think Gramps ever mentioned it to him either. So I'll fucking say it, if it'll save this. I'll say it as much as you want. I wanted you. I've always wanted you. And I couldn't have you. So I kept you safe and Mira kept you close and now we've messed up your life and, even though it seems like we've ruined it, I promise you that we haven't. Things look hopeless right now, but they're not.

"And you can hate me. I don't mind if you hate me. I mean, it hurts, but that's fine. I'm not going anywhere, boy. And now that you know, I'm going to just tell you right now, I wanna try again with your mother. An honest effort. Because you're my boy, as much as you hate it, and she's my woman."

Orion wanted to hit him. Really badly. How dare he? How fucking dare he? Now suddenly he was just throwing in the towel? Poor Laxus. He was just giving in. He wanted his son and his woman and for them all to just be happy, but if Orion didn't want it, that was fine. Because then it would be his fault. But not Laxus'. At least he'd tried.

Right?

Orion didn't know what to say to him, but he did know that he had no desire to even listen to the man any longer and just walked passed him and off into the hall. Laxus let him go, staying out there for some time. Whatever. Orion was done with him for the day.

Things were still rather somber inside, but the atmosphere was picking up some. People were starting to get drunk was the main factor, probably.

Evergreen was the only person to come up to him when he came in. And, for some reason, it was to hug him.

Which was odd. Though the woman favored him heavily, hugging wasn't their thing. She might pat his shoulder, toy with his hair, but hugging wasn't usual.

He was stiff, anyways, and didn't even attempt to put his arms back around her.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly as he only stared up at her. "Don't let anyone say anything to hurt your feelings, okay? That little snot deserved it."

Honestly, he'd more or less forgotten about Radic, given Laxus was still forcing his way into the boy's mind. But at her words, he did take notice of some of the glances he was getting.

As if he cared. Radic was a monster. He always had been. And if he got hurt sometimes because of it, they only had themselves to blame. They were the ones that let him get so terrible.

"Where's my mom?" he asked Ever though she only pointed up to the second floor. Right. She was tending to the wounded.

Gag. How many backstabs could she throw into one day?

"Come here." Ever took him then, by the hand, and led him over to a table where Bickslow as busy making his babies float around his Aunt Lisanna's head, in an attempt to make her feel better.

It wasn't working well.

Kinana was working then though, so she was off for a bit.

"Oy, kid," Bickslow greeted, though his tone was darker than usual. "Your aunt here's all sour at me for some reason."

"You spilled beer on me."

"Only a little, Lissy."

Elfman was missing then, but that wasn't shocking. He'd probably finally pissed Ever off with his sobbing and she'd sent him away.

It happened all the time.

Orion didn't really wanna sit with his aunts, but it wasn't like he had a lot of choices. Really, he just wanted to see his mother. That was all.

And, when she finally came down the stairs, he rushed right over to her.

"Mom," he breathed as she only stared at him. "I didn't mean to do that and I'm sorry and I should have been here and Erza's mad at me and I didn't mean to, really, but he just kept trying to hit me and-"

"Shhh. This isn't the place, Ori." Reaching out, she gently patted his cheek. And though he could see the worry in her face, she only said, "We'll talk later."

"But, Mom, I-"

"Later." When she dropped her hand, she forced a smile for him. "You're S-Class now, Ori. And that means that I can't tell you what to do around here. If you want to fight the others beneath you, fine. If you want to injure them, that's your choice. But today was not the day. Alright?"

When he nodded, she walked on, no doubt off to take care of some of the other numerous jobs that she had to do around there (Laxus wasn't around to remind her that he'd decreed it an off day for her) and he just let her go.

Then, for a reason he really didn't understand, he continued on up the stairs.

No one was up there anymore, he thought, other than Radic. Which made even less sense, he knew, but he found himself climbing them anyways, up to the infirmary. He was in there, of course, Radic was, but he wasn't alone.

It was Gajeel. Orion would know the deep grumbles anywhere. He thought, at first, that he was lamenting along with his son over what a dick Orion had been, but that wasn't the case. The closer he got, the more he realized that he was actually berating the other teen.

He was growling at him, about how stupid he was, how weak, that he let Orion best him again, and that he was just a little fuck up. He was always such a little fuck up. And Radic, for once, didn't say anything. Nothing Orion heard anyways. Just took that. Which, for the record, Orion had never heard him take anything close to that from anyone. Ever.

Orion was so embarrassed at overhearing that that he attempted to turn around when he realized what was going on, but he didn't have a chance. Gajeel, finished with his raving, was leaving the infirmary then, almost running into the teen in the process.

That got him a shove too, from the slayer, which usually would have ticked Orion off as he'd always found the man to be a tad too arrogant, but he was too shocked by the days events to do much. And, as Gajeel stormed off, he just stuck his head into the infirmary.

Radic was there, of course, alone, sitting on a cot. His hand was bandaged tightly and he was on the edge of the mattress, glaring down at the ground. Orion thought about just turning around then, but just as he was about to, the older teen spoke.

"You don't fucking get it, do you, Orion?"

He just blinked. Then he frowned. "Get what?"

Radic didn't lift his head and Orion didn't leave the safety of the doorway.

"What it's like," he growled, "to constantly have someone hounding you to be-"

"If you're about to tell me about how I should feel sorry for you because your dad's an ass, save it." Orion was glaring then. "At least you had one. You have a mother and a father and-"

"And what? I'm supposed to be happy with that?" He lifted his head then, returning to gaze just as heavily. "He fucking hates me. And you got the Master practically in love with you. Now he's your father too? And on top of that he gave you S-Class? I feel so sorry for you, Orion. All your dreams come true in one night. Let me shed a few tears."

"Fuck you. And he didn't give me anything. I earned that." It sounded hollow, even to his own ears. "I-"

"You get everything, once again, and I get-"

"Once again? I never get anything! At all. You have everything. You have parents and friends and everyone likes you-"

"Everyone's afraid of me."

"Because you make them that way! That's your fucking fault. Not mine." Snorting, Orion said, "What do you want me to say? That I'm sorry that I speared your hand? Fine. I'm sorry. But you're a jerk and I'm not going to feel sorry that your dad is too."

"You don't know anything about my father."

"And you know about mine? About what I'm feeling? What-"

"What are you feeling, Orion? Huh? Your little damn hero's your father and you're still not happy? Figures." Lifting his head to glare at the other boy, Radic said, "You always bitched about how unhappy you were and how you wanted a father and look, you got one. The one you wanted."

"I never bitched about anything. You were the one that always drove it home that I didn't have one." Orion couldn't remember another time when they wouldn't already be at one another's throats, but given the fact that he'd already gotten such a nasty wound before, he figured Radic wasn't up for it. "You always bothered me with it. You always-"

"Because you always cried about how unfair it was! And always acted better than us. Said that we weren't shit, even though we acted like we were. You know, because we were the slayer's kids and thought we were all that. You'd brag about how you were trained by Erza Scarlet and she didn't need some ancient magic to be great. That you weren't born to damn slayers and weren't some arrogant fuck like us." Shaking his head, he said, "Now look at you. Doesn't it feel great? To know that you're just like us?"

"I'm nothing like you."

"Damn right you're not." Getting to his feet then, Radic's eyes were daggers then as he advanced on him. Orion didn't dare break that gaze, even when the other teen was upon him. "I would give anything to have the Master look at me the way he does you. And low and behold, he's your father on top of that?"

"Stop talking about it," Orion hissed. "You don't know anything about it. And your father's just as tough as Laxus. So why-"

"You know why he hates me? Huh? Because I ruined a damn relationship he had, what? Twenty years ago?" Then, suddenly, Orion won as Radic looked off, but he decided not to chalk it up just yet. "Like it's my fault. Like I'm the one that messed that up."

Orion knew what he was talking about. Sort of. Or he could make a guess. "Lev-"

The name wasn't even out of his mouth before Radic snorted, heavily, just from the sound of it.

"How's it my fault, huh? He got my mother pregnant while he was with this woman, but it's my fault that she left him? So he's gonna constantly put me down, yell at me, tell me how much he _hates_ my mother and wishes I was never born, 'cause I'm just such a disappointment. Like what? That's going to bring her back or something? That doesn't make sense. That doesn't make fucking sense."

Orion had heard that story a lot growing up. He remembered it. Levy McGarden had been a guild member or something and had been with Radic's father. Only, according to Mirajane (it was one of the juiciest stories to her though, after he found out about his own birth, Orion wondered how she could be callous enough to gossip about someone else in a similar situation), Gajeel'd cheated on her or something and gotten the woman pregnant, resulting in Radic, and Levy'd left him.

He remembered her. Levy. Sort of. She was with the guild for awhile after that too, but left when he was about five. He saw her some times after that too though, as she was so entwined with Fairy Tail, but he didn't know much about her. Other than that she wasn't mentioned in Gajeel's presence.

It'd never really occurred to Orion what Radic would think about the whole thing. He just figured he didn't know. It was so long ago. It seemed crazy to him that Gajeel would still be bitter about it, especially considering Radic literally was the least at fault in anything that went down, but there was apparently a lot that Orion didn't know.

Then again, given the turn of events about then, he figured he should have been used to it.

It was so odd too, that Radic was even telling him something like that. It sounded extremely personal and, considering their relationship was anything but, it threw up a lot of red flags. Something in his tone though and the fact that he was so emotional over it tipped Orion off that there might just be some validity to the whole thing.

"It doesn't," Orion agreed softly and, when Radic met his eyes that time, they weren't so hard, but still very much so the same ones his father sported. And then, for the first time, Orion saw how lucky he had been. No matter how much he hated Laxus, he could look in the mirror and never see him. He could stare at himself for hours and never find a single trance.

Radic probably couldn't even take a glance at himself.

"I don't want your fucking sympathy, asshole," Radic growled nonetheless.

"And you don't have it." Orion wasn't backing down. "So Gajeel's an ass. Great. So I got everything I wanted and it's bitter. Even better. And you hate me because…I don't even know. I don't care, Radic. I don't care anymore. About all the slayers or their kids or this guild or beating you or even Laxus.

"I'm S-Class now. And I get to decide what that means. There is no rivalry anymore. I won, Radic. And you can hate me for it, you can get pissy, and you can fight me every single time we pass, but I'll always win. Not because my father gave it to me, but because I earned it. Did Laxus help me get there? I don't know. But I do know that I have it. And that alone makes this, me and you fighting over nothing, petty. And I'm not going to be that kind of S-Class. You can keep trying to look tough in front of the others, I don't care. Tell them that you beat the shit out of me up here or out on a job. It doesn't matter. You can't touch me anymore."

If anything, really, Radic had just unknowingly handed over fodder to Orion. He'd always known that the other guy had a problem with his father, but to know that the wound was that deep was news to him. When Radic was talking about his father's hatred of him, his voice about broke. It hurt him. Truly, it hurt him.

Just like not having a father had always hurt Orion.

But now he had one. And he didn't want him. Just like Radic didn't want his. And he didn't wanna liken himself to the other teen, didn't wanna sympathize for him in the slightest, but he couldn't help it. Was that maturity? Or was that weakness?

Would Laxus be proud of him?

Then he had to remind himself that it didn't matter. He didn't want Laxus to be proud of him. He didn't want Laxus at all. At that moment, he just wanted to get away from Radic, the guildhall, and everyone.

He wanted to take his first S-Class job. Right then. Alone. And just get away for awhile. He couldn't pay his respects to Makarov there. He couldn't mourn him. That much was obvious. But on a far off job, all by himself, he could do just that.

As he was planning his getaway though, Mirajane was trying to get together a much smaller one and just escape the guildhall for the day. Everything was starting to take its toll on her and a massive headache had set in. She needed some sleep, she knew, and wanted to go home to get it.

"Here you are," Laxus remarked when he found her in the back office. "Hiding out?"

"Something like that," she sighed as she glanced up from his office chair. Blushing slightly, she started to get up. "Sorry. I was just…I used to sit in here and do Master's paperwork for him and sometimes I forget that-"

"Stay." Laxus only shut the door firmly behind him. "We're alone."

"Are we?"

Nodding, he came closer. "I saw the boy run off with a flier he took to your sister. I think he took a job. S-Class, no doubt."

"No doubt."

"He'll be gone for awhile."

"Laxus-"

"I thought you were going to strangle him when he shot that boy."

"Radic's a bully." She lowered her head back into her hands. "He always has been and no one ever stopped him. He's picked on all the kids forever, but Gajeel thought it was just so great. That he was just so strong. Now he'll have a scar to commemorate the day he wasn't and Orion showed him that."

Grinning, Laxus stopped in front of the desk. "You don't sound much like Mirajane Strauss right now."

"I'm not," she told him with a sigh. "I'm tired. I'm sleepy. I'm exhausted. I'm deathly close to just kicking them out of the guildhall so I can go ahead and close for the day-"

"You're not closing."

"Laxus-"

"You're not." He was walking around the desk then, to go stand behind her. "You're going home."

"I don't want to go home," she whispered as she felt his hands on her tense shoulders. "Ori's not there."

"He'll be back, demon."

"I know. But it's starting."

"What is?"

But she didn't say. Only hung her head some more as he rubbed at her shoulders. It felt too nice. Had it felt that nice the whole week she was doing it for him?

"Your head hurt?" he asked when she continued to rub at it with the palm of one of her hands.

Nodding slightly, Mira said, "Horribly."

"Since when?"

"Mmmm…I dunno, Lax. Forever?" Then she laughed, but it wasn't very humor ridden. "This whole thing's been horrible. I just want to put it behind us."

"It is behind us," he told her softly. "He's going to go away, on this job, clear his head, and when he gets back, things'll make more sense. I'll tell him about the curse-"

"Damn it, Laxus, there is no-"

"It's too late now," he told her simply. "If there is one or isn't doesn't matter anymore. What's done is done."

For some reason, that idea felt good to Mira. What was done was done. It was over. There was nothing she could do to fix it. A simplistic concept, fine, but good in that scenario. Orion was off on a job and would be for a number of days. That was done. He was upset with her and Laxus. Done. And, until he got back, there was nothing she could do.

So clearly she should spend the next few days in bed, resting up for when he did come back.

When she relayed this to Laxus, he only stared down at her.

"Rest up," he repeated. "Alone?"

"Laxus-"

"I love you," he said simply. "And I'm lonely, Mirajane."

"Shut up."

"No. I am." And he was. "Not in a…sex way. In a real way. I'm lonely. Ever's mad at me because she thinks I made Orion mad at her, Bickslow's keeping his distance because he thinks if he doesn't, it'll mess up whatever weird shit him and your sister got going, and then Freed's, well, Freed, but he's not too happy with me over it. Then the boy's mad at me. He hates me."

"He doesn't hate you," she said with a roll of her eyes. "He just-"

"Hates me. He told me that he hated me. Multiple times." His grip on her shoulders wasn't much of a comfort then. "I told him that I loved him, but he just-"

"You what?"

He only nodded slightly. "I did. But I think it only pissed him off more."

"Oh, Laxus."

"And I told him that I was sorry."

"No buts?"

"None," he agreed. "I thought of a few, but kept them to myself. And he still-"

"Then you just have to wait." She rubbed at her head some more. It was killing her. Laxus and Orion were killing her, really. When could they all just be happy again? "For him."

"I know." He sighed that time. "And I can."

"It might be awhile, Lax."

"Mmmm. If you're there with me, I think I might just be able to do it."

Mira wanted to tell him that she wasn't there with him or for him or anything like that. She was with Orion. She was for Orion. But his hands felt so nice… And Ori would be gone for a bit. And when he came back, he probably would be more agreeable. And if she could just get them both to sit down and talk, well, things might just be perfect.

She wasn't choosing a side. And Mirajane wasn't betraying either of them. But her head had hurt for so long and she just wanted it all to stop. Both of them. And to think. They were hurting, Orion and Laxus, but if they would just realize that the other was the one to put a stop to it, then maybe they could get somewhere.

And maybe she could finally get some rest.

So she wasn't perfect. And she'd lied to Orion for years. And messed around with Laxus for even longer. But she'd kept Orion safe. And she did care for Laxus. Rather deeply, if she was going to be truthful. And if they would just help her out some, she could have both. They could have one another.

And they could all just get some sleep…

When Mirajane finally passed out, head rested on the desk, Laxus left her there, letting her catch a few. A huge chunk of it all was finally over. Gramps was buried, Orion knew, and the boy was S-Class. But there was still the curse, their relationship, and his with the boy to figure out.

Maybe just two things, he decided, when he walked her home much later only to find himself staying the night. They didn't do anything, honest (the Master had just been buried after all), but it felt right.

And if the boy knew, and Mira was still safe, then maybe they could…well…

Sigh.

"Later," Laxus resolved as he laid there in bed with her, Mirajane snoozing peacefully next to him. "But soon."

Very soon.

He could have the demon and the boy. He just knew he could. Enough time had passed that even if the curse was in play, Mirajane had gotten her years with Orion. Many years. It was Laxus' turn. And if she was willing to risk it, then he was tired of protecting her. He was tired of a lot of things.

Heh.

Maybe the demon and the dragon had more in common than they realized.

* * *

 **Next one's the last one and expect another long one. I'm never good at wrapping up in a timely matter.**


	10. Denouement

Chapter 10: Denouement

There was once, when he was really young, that Orion could remember Mirajane telling him about her parents.

Not that she didn't after that. Because she did. But it was always in passing and hardly ever any real details.

No, most of his knowledge from that time came from a fuzzy memory of being five or six and waiting for her to tell him a bedtime story. Only, that night she was coming up with nothing. He'd heard about Edolas and Phantom. Knew everything about what preceded the seven-year lapse and the major events to follow. He'd heard everything.

So Mira went further into her memory bank and told him about something completely different.

"You know," she said softly as they snuggled up on his tiny mattress. "When I was your age, I wasn't even in Magnolia yet. I lived in this tiny village with your Aunt Lisanna and Uncle Elfman. And, of course, my mother and father too."

"Really?"

"Mmmhmm." She smiled softly about then, but whether it was at him or just from the thought alone he couldn't recall. Just that it was nice, like always. Comforting. "We lived in this little hut. Even smaller than our house. Everyone was always in someone's way, but…I'd never been happier than when I was there. Until you."

Then she probably snuggled him or something else silly and just so like her then before she continued.

He couldn't remember everything that she said, but he did know that she went on and on about how much fun she and her brother and sister used to have, when they were kids. That her mother would a tad stricter than her father, but that was okay, because they loved her all the same. And even when she was scolding them for something, their father would be making just as strong a case for them as to why they shouldn't be punished. He never liked to get them in trouble. He never would either.

"He was just so happy, you know," his mother whispered. "To have a family. To have us. He loved us. He spoiled us, too, but out of love. He didn't know any better. He'd grown up all by himself, with no one. So when he met my mother, that's the first thing he wanted. Children. I think if it had been up to him, I would have had a thousand other siblings, but then, it wasn't all his choice, was it?"

She told him, that night, all about how she used to love spending time with her father and that it was her mother that taught her how to cook. Oh, and that she must have spent every day playing with Elfman and Lisanna. They'd do everything together. They had an even stronger bond back then, if it was possible.

"But then," she mumbled eventually. "Papa got sick. Very sick. And we didn't catch it, whatever it was, but only because we weren't the ones taking care of him. My mother was. And when she got it, she just couldn't fight it like he was. She died within weeks. And without her…Papa never had a chance."

Orion remembered just laying there, staring up at her as his own mother's similar deep blues filled with tears at the memory. The woman cried at everything. From when he first said a word to the time she was able to sense all his latent magic ability, Mirajane was just a sobber. So watching her do so was never too big a deal for him. That time though, it made him feel odd. He was so young, but he knew a thing or two about comforting someone. She did it for him enough.

So he only reached up to wipe at her eyes, like she would do for him if the roles were reversed.

"Don't cry," he whispered as she sniffled a little. "It's okay. We don't gotta talk about it. We can go to sleep."

"Awe, Ori. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get all sad." She snuggled him some more, probably. She liked to do that a lot when he was little. "I just…I was thinking about how my father would hate it."

"Hate what?" He was still just staring up at her then, about ready to fall asleep finally. "Mommy?"

"That I'm making you grow up all alone," she told him, her grin returning then. "He would probably scold me on it. That you deserve brothers and sisters and-"

"No."

"No?"

He'd seen the other kids in the guild, with their siblings and having to put up with them. Not to mention share their parents. He only had one at that! He couldn't risk something like that. Some other brat coming in, taking his toys, and his mother. It'd always just been him and Mira and he was fine with it staying that.

Other than, like, if his father suddenly came into the picture. Back then, he'd have been all for that. Of course, he probably didn't grasp that a man would only force him to share Mirajane as well, but the follies of youth and all.

"I don't want a brother or sister," he insisted as he stared at her, as if willing her to agree with him. "Okay?"

"Why not, Ori?"

Because she was his mother and his only. And what if she liked the new kid better than him? That wouldn't be any good. Not at all. He'd heard about parents having favorites and, while he couldn't see him not being Mira's, he also didn't want to take the risk.

Not that there weren't moments of weakness over his childhood where he wished that he had someone to play with, someone to gripe with, or even someone to fight with. He'd never really gotten along well with the other kids and never had a close friend. Though there was no guarantee that a sibling would provide such a thing for him, it was a haunting thought at times.

Then, at the age of eighteen, the worst happened.

Mira finally got that coveted second child.

There was a lot preceding it, of course, and none of it had been pleasant for Orion. Mira gave him an option, not soon after he returned from his first ever S-Class job. She and Laxus, apparently, were rekindling their relationship, but only at his discretion.

"I'm not putting pressure on you," she was quick to tell him. "Honest, Ori. If this makes you uncomfortable, that's fine. Believe me; this isn't really that big of a deal to me. I've been fine without Laxus. And I can tell that this bothers you, so, you know what? We just won't. Okay?"

And that was okay with him. He didn't want his mother having anything to do with Laxus, really. From that point forth, he figured that he would go ahead and make it his own personal mission to keep them apart. It went pretty well for a month or two.

Until his mother got sick.

At first, he didn't notice it much. He was taking jobs then and she was working so much up at the guild that they missed one another a lot and only got glimpses of each other. But the few down times he had at the house, he picked up on her fatigue. His mother was always tired, of course, but it seemed more and more like she couldn't get out of bed. And constantly she would mention her headaches and how none of the pills she was taking were helping anything.

His Aunt Lisanna suggested she go to the doctor, but Mira didn't seem to want to. He wondered later if it was because she knew. Or at least suspected and was fearful of finding out the truth. Of admitting the truth.

He was out of town on a job when she collapsed up at the guildhall. From what he heard, Laxus was there and, when she came too, he personally took her to see a doctor, claiming that he wouldn't allow her to work again until she went.

Orion arrived back in Magnolia to find him mother claiming that she was fine and the doctors were just being overly cautious and that he had nothing to worry about.

Everyone else didn't seem to have that same outlook.

It was the catalyst for him and Laxus finally speaking again, as it was. They'd both avoided one another since Orion had told Mirajane that he did not, under any circumstance, want her to date (or whatever they did) Laxus again. It had pissed Laxus off and try many times to get Orion alone, demanding to speak with him, but the boy had always kept his distance and, well, for Orion things had been going great on that side.

Laxus? Not so much.

It aggravated him that Mira was just going to let Orion decide their lives for them. Not that the boy's opinions didn't matter to him, but for him to just flat out decide to not give Laxus a chance ruined everything. He was ready to come and, not necessarily parent the boy as he was sure Orion would reject that, but definitely go back to that role model staple he'd been in his life for years. He wanted to show him that it hadn't been that he didn't want him, but rather that he did want him and Mira that kept him from revealing the truth to him.

But Mirajane shut that down. Told him not to speak with Orion about the curse or, really, anything until the boy was ready to forgive him. From Laxus point of view, that was lunacy. Orion was still just a teenager. Fine, he had the freedoms of an adult in some aspects, but that didn't mean that he was ready to make all the decisions in life. Laxus was certain that if Mira just forced him to accept them, then, eventually, he wouldn't know any better. He'd see Laxus as his father and everything would be great.

Only, they didn't get a chance to try that out. Because with Mirajane's sickness, Laxus decided it was time to supersede her and tell Orion the truth. Explain things to him. After all, if she did end up passing and it was just the two of them left, he wanted to have the boy back on his side and not lost forever.

When Orion arrived to find her sick though, the last thing he wanted to do was be away from his mother. So it wasn't easy for Laxus to corner him alone, but eventually, with the help of Ever, he managed.

Orion had shown up at his aunt and uncle's place planning on meeting with the woman. She'd requested he come over and help her move around some furniture or something. He wasn't sure why Elfman wouldn't be better suited for that and, when he got there, he found it was because there was no heavy lifting involved. Just a deadbeat that he wanted nothing to do with.

"Orion," Laxus tried when, upon entering through the backdoor, the teen found him there and tried to turn right back around. "Don't-"

"Hey." Ever was there too, standing near the backdoor, and moved to grab him by the arm and drag him in. He could have fought her, of course, but he was never one to openly be disobedient towards his aunts. "You two need to talk about this. Come here. Sit down."

"No. I-"

"Now."

She drug him over to the kitchen table then as he only called out for his uncle to help him.

"Elfman's at the hall," she said simply as she forced him into a chair. "Now stay. The two of you have a lot to discuss."

"Traitor," he hissed at her as she headed out of the room. That got her to freeze, if only for a moment, but not turn back to get him.

He was left alone with his father.

"You can leave," Laxus was quick to say as the boy glared over at the backdoor. "But I just want to tell you something first. And it won't fix anything and it won't absolve anything, but-"

"What?" Orion hissed. "You gonna tell me about some other bastard you have or something?"

"No," Laxus said slowly. "And you really shouldn't call yourself-"

"What?" he insisted. "What do you-"

"I know why your mother's sick," the man told him. "And I…I know why she won't get better."

That was the first Orion had heard of the curse and, of course, his first reaction was pure hatred. Of Laxus. That he would let something so stupid be the thing that separated them. He was right about one thing though. It didn't absolve him of anything.

For some reason though and, he couldn't quite understand it, Orion felt pretty dang upset with his mother too. Extremely upset. And it culminated as, after leaving Ever's house following him chewing Laxus out again (the man managed to just sit there and take it), he went home to where his mother was resting in her room, bypassing his Aunt Lisanna's request that he leave her be and went in there to yell at her a little too.

But he couldn't. When he got in there and found her looking less than well, he couldn't yell at her. Only fall into bed with her and let her stroke his hair.

"What's wrong?" she asked after a moment or two and he only sniffled. "Ori? Did someone say something? Was it Lisanna? I told her that I'm fine, but she keeps insisting-"

"You wouldn't tell me who my father was because of a curse?" He lifted his head from where it was resting on the mattress, just to say that. "Really?"

Her face then became contorted, just from his question alone. "Who told you about-"

"It's true then?" he asked. Though he was still a little ticked at Evergreen, he didn't want to get her in trouble.

"No. I mean, well, yes, but I don't believe in the curse. I just-"

"So something that you don't even believe in made you-"

"It didn't matter what I believed, Orion," she insisted as she frowned at him. "Laxus believes in it. And the Master did too. They-"

"So they made you not tell me? All the times that you had a chance to, but they made you-"

"No," she sighed. "But Laxus believes so completely in it that I… I decided that if he didn't want you to know, then he didn't have a right to you. I didn't want him around then. I-"

"Then why did you let him be around?"

"Orion, it's not-"

"And what about my rights? Or what I deserve? Or does that not matter to you?"

"Of course it does. Ori, listen to me. Do you think that if the option was available to have someone care for you with me, to not be alone all the time, to have someone that had to wake up in the middle of the night to care for you, I wouldn't have taken it? Because I would have. But if I told you that Laxus was your father, he'd have only denied it. He told me as much. He thought that the only way to keep me safe was to keep you from knowing. He honestly still believes that. If it wasn't for Makarov-"

"Is it?"

"Is what?"

"Is the reason you're sick…because of me?"

She was quick to sit up then. "Orion, of course not. Don't even say that."

"But it's true, isn't it? You're sick because I-"

"I am not." And even though she wasn't much up for anything that day, she moved to take his cheeks in her hands and press a few kisses to his head. "You," she added, "have nothing to do with that. Is that what they told you? Who was it? Was it Laxus?"

Slowly, he nodded as her eyes grew darker. "He said that he had to tell me. So I knew. So that-"

"It's complete and utter bull, Orion." And that was the closest his mother usually came to using profanity around him. "So don't believe it."

"But you're sick."

"I am not."

"Mom-"

"I'm not." And she sounded like she believed it. He, however, wasn't convinced. "I'm fine. And I'm going to keep being fine for a long time. So don't think otherwise."

"Where are you going?" he asked then as, after pressing one last kiss to his forehead, she moved to get out of bed. "Mom?"

"I have a certain guild master to go see."

He asked her not to, told her that she shouldn't be out of bed, but she ignored him and Lisanna when she heard of the plan. Mira was on a mission then and, honestly, Orion was just glad he wasn't on the receiving end of her rage.

His mother didn't get better though, despite her insistence otherwise. She had days where she was fine and even able to go into work, but then she had others where getting out of bed was impossible and there was no way she honestly still believed she was as fine as she claimed.

It was horrible. But not as horrible as swallowing his resentment and anger when he told her that he wanted her to be happy and, if Laxus was that happiness, then he was fine with that. He'd listened to the doctors, even though she refused to.

Mira didn't have long.

And, apparently, his mother and Laxus did love one another. He didn't understand it, didn't want to, really, but also didn't want her to be alone. She clearly didn't want to be alone and, well, it wasn't fair of him to force her to stay that way. He could, at times, justify in his own mind that it wasn't fair for the two of them to be together, not after wrecking his life so terribly. They didn't deserve to be happy. Not if he couldn't be.

But then he'd remember how much he loved his mother and, honestly, deep down still revered Laxus and there just wasn't any way that he could do that to them. Not just to her, but them. Laxus, though Orion hated to say it, hadn't been all that bad since thee revelation came out. He annoyed the hell out of him, trying to talk to him constantly, but mostly the man seemed more concerned with Mirajane. Making sure that she took breaks, if she ate, did she want someone to go with her to her doctor's visit, what about dinner? Was there someone to make her dinner? Because she wasn't well enough to do it. He'd make it if he had to. Did she want him to?

It was never-ending. The man was honestly worried about Mirajane. Orion couldn't hate him for it. He tried. Really, he did. Grumbled about how if he cared so much, he wouldn't have been so absentee in their lives for so long.

That was the thing though. The one hang up. He hadn't been. At all. He'd been around Orion since he could remember. And, if his words were true, been paying his mother jewels the entire time to help with bills and toys and whatever else the boy wanted. Imagine his surprise when his mother told him that, actually, that nice, shiny red bike he'd wanted when he was seven was bought with the jewels Laxus had given her purely for that reason.

Not to mention the fact that the man, apparently, was only out of his mother's life in tiny intervals. They were routinely together behind his back for years. So there was no way to say that the relationship was dead or even that Laxus had neglected it.

They were together. His parents were. He was pretty sure most people would be excited about that, but he just couldn't force himself to be. He was angry. He was upset. He was confused. He was hurt. But he wasn't happy. And he couldn't fake it. Not even for his mother.

She didn't want to take him up on his suggestion at first, that she and Laxus try dating. She only told him that she had much more important things on her mind then and that she knew that it still made him uncomfortable, regardless of his insistence otherwise.

So it took a lot more sucking up of pride when Orion went to Laxus personally one day at the guildhall and spoke to him.

The Master was filling out some forms at a table, off by himself, and didn't seem to be in too good a mood. It was usually rather easy to judge whether he was or not. If he was, then he'd have the Thunder Legion hanging off him or would sit up at the bar, where he could talk to Mirajane. That day, Mira was sick at home and, though Evergreen was around, Laxus sat alone.

Orion didn't know why, but he felt a tightness in his chest as he approached his master and it only grew as he came to a stop in front of the table, his heavy boots thudding loudly before they got there. There was no way that Laxus didn't know someone was coming over to him and, slowly, the man looked up.

They just stared at one another for a moment and Orion hated that tug he felt. The one he always felt. His idol was disgraced, fine, but for so long he'd been held in such a high esteem that it was hard to see him otherwise.

"Yes?" Laxus finally prompted when Orion only stared him. "Did you need something?"

He felt like a child again, addressing an unapproachable man. His hero. Needless to say, Orion's throat felt as if it was housing his stomach.

"You can date my mom."

That's not what he wanted to say. At all. But just talking to the man was unfeasible and, really, that would have been the gist of what he wanted to say. He just wished that it had been said in a much less childish way.

"What?" Laxus was understandably confused. "Orion-"

"You just can," he insisted before turning away. "But you better do it right if you're going to. Because I'm S-Class now too. And I could take your ass out if I wanted."

There. The end was a little better (not by much). Laxus didn't try and stop him either from walking off. Just let him go. And, not a week and a half later, Mira asked him if he was really okay with it before she went off on her first date with Laxus.

And man if he didn't have to bite his tongue. A lot. As the dates shifted from weekly to nearly every night, maybe with a day or so in between, it was like Orion couldn't escape his parents love. Laxus started buying her gifts not soon after that. And, of course, somehow figured it was a good idea to buy Orion things as well.

It was not.

If there was anything that Orion picked up from the man, it was his stubbornness. He refused to use, look at, or even ride (the guy bought a motorcycle, claiming it was for himself, but left it parked over at Mira's and hinted at Orion frequently he could borrow it) anything that came from his father. He couldn't be bought.

That didn't stop Laxus from giving him things. And, even though the teen wasn't around much, off on jobs or visiting his girlfriend, the influx of gifts never ceased. Laxus would just leave things in his bedroom. And, when Orion complained to Mirajane that that was an invasion of privacy and there was no way that Laxus should be allowed access to his room, the man just started leaving the gifts on the kitchen table, or in front of his bedroom door.

Laxus was nothing if not persistent. He seemed determined to at least make Orion acknowledge him, but he refused. He couldn't.

He wouldn't.

Time went on. Mirajane didn't seem to be getting any better and, after around seven moths of dating, Laxus went to Orion and told him that he wanted to ask Mirajane to marry him.

He about hit the man. Really, he did. What did he want him to do with that information? Huh? What could he do with it? He hated Laxus. He blamed Laxus for ruining everything. And his mother wasn't well enough for such a thing anyways.

But Laxus insisted that that last one was why he wanted to do it. She'd never made it clear to him, fine, but she did want to be married. She always had. It was one of the things that she'd dreamed about forever. And Laxus let it slip also that she wanted to have another child and was fearful of what Orion would think.

Which, by the way, Orion wouldn't care about. Not really. Had it been with anyone else. Some other guy who, maybe, he grew to respect or at least like and that treated her well (like Laxus was) and that there was no animosity towards. If that was what Mirajane wanted then how could he complain? She'd given up years raising him alone. All by herself. If she wanted to be married and happy and have another kid, he didn't take it as an insult at him. He knew that she loved him. It was just her going after what most people did. A happy family.

But Laxus? Seriously? The man that had shattered that chance before? Over a curse? A damn curse?

Orion didn't want to tell him okay. He could tell that's what Laxus wanted and, really, he didn't want to give anything to the man. But once again, taking away from his father would only result in hurting his mother. And, after holding out for awhile, he had no choice, but to cave.

It wasn't like a ring and a ceremony would make things any different. Laxus was already staying the night. Mira had run that by him first too. He knew, of course, that she and Laxus were sleeping together. She'd been staying over at his apartment before the first time she asked if it would bother him, Laxus coming around the house, and though it annoyed and disgusted him, he only shrugged at the question. What else could he do?

Mira was very courteous to him though. Of course. She never had Laxus over when he was around. Or at least tried not to. He would only spend the night if Orion was out on a job though, more than once, he'd come home to find the man's jacket or boots somewhere in the living room which made him gag before rushing to his own room to throw the covers over his head and hope that Laxus just left in the morning.

He never did. They almost always had some sort of run-in when daybreak came. Either Orion would be leaving the shower at the same time Laxus was coming out of Mira's room or they'd both somehow end up in the kitchen, looking for something to eat. It was horribly awkward, especially because Laxus was intent on making small talk with him during those times and just…ugh. It was hell. Torture. Unadulterated.

To make matters worse, after the engagement, Laxus and Mira decided it was time to tackle living together. As he understood it, the two of them never had and, though Mira asked him first, again, it was impossible to make a complaint. How could he? He was trying more and more to just not be at the house, but that also was keeping him further and further away from his mother. It was impossible to balance.

Add on top of that that Laxus had, at some point, told Mirajane that Orion was seeing some girl in some other town and, well, there was just no way to be around the house. Mira was always asking about her and wanting to meet her and getting on his nerves with her extremely personal and gauche questions that, sure, as his parent she probably had a right to know, but that she couldn't bring herself to ask directly and he didn't ever feel much up for answering.

Not that things were easy on that front either. It wasn't long after Mirajane and Laxus' wedding that Orion just got so hard to deal with (he was never in a good mood, hardly came around, and when he did, he just wanted to rant about his father), that he finally got broken up with. As if he needed another problem in his life.

He got to a point where he didn't even want to go home. He just took jobs constantly, only staying in Magnolia long enough to check in with Mirajane and, maybe, Erza or one of his aunts. He didn't care about much else.

Mirajane only got worse, it seemed, as time progressed. There was no cure for her ailments and, eventually, she'd only manage to go down to the hall once or twice a week. She mostly just stayed home, miserable and alone. Orion was gone on jobs and Laxus had to go to the hall. He was the Master.

She finally had both her boys, but she couldn't ever find time to be with either of them. It was maddening.

Orion figured that was why she was so excited when she got pregnant some months later. And it was. Partially. Of course a big part of it was that she'd always wanted to have another child, but the idea of having something to do during the day was great. Laxus didn't seem to think the same way though.

They'd argued over even trying for another child, before he proposed. He claimed that the curse was already in effect (bleh) and that having another baby might speed things along. She only told him that if what he was saying was true and she was cursed, it wouldn't be getting any better. And she wanted another baby. She always had. If he couldn't' give that to her, then what was the point of toying around with one another?

She got her way, of course, in the end, but did hate to admit that he had been right about something. The pregnancy weakened her. A lot. Not that she would say it had anything to do with the curse, but really the cause didn't matter. Being pregnant on top of having her energy drained constantly to begin with wasn't easy. And those final months had been unbearable. Mira just had to keep reminding herself of the end result that she desired so much to keep her spirits high.

Laxus tried to gather enthusiasm as well. It wasn't easy. Orion's resistance to him was still bothering the man deeply. He wasn't sure how he could deal with another child, a baby at that, when he couldn't even get his other one to talk to him. Look at him. Acknowledge his presence. How could he possibly keep a baby under control with that on his plate?

Not to mention, he hated seeing Mira the way she was. She was clearly sick and the pregnancy hadn't helped anything. There was nothing he could do, of course, but hope for the best. He tried a thousand things, spells, chants, whatever to get rid of the curse. But to no avail.

Mira was leaving him. He just knew it. All he could hope for was that he had her for another year or so and that his baby was healthy. With Mirajane refusing the validity of the curse and calling it poor coincidence that she was sick at the same time Orion found out, there wasn't much else Laxus could do for her. He felt helpless. And hopeless.

And then his daughter was born. Not that it brought any of the attention off the fact that Mirajane was only continuing to get worse or that Orion was even more distant, but it was definitely a silver lining in all of it. She was so perfect. She exhausted him, honestly, as Mirajane was frequently too tired or sickly to deal with her, and though Lisanna and the Thunder Legion were over frequently, late nights were left for him.

Mirajane tried hard to help out though. She wanted to do everything she could. After all, she knew for certain that it would be her last child and, well, that made everything that much more special.

And, in the back of her mind, though she was stark against the idea of a curse being the cause of her ailment, she knew that her time was short. It had been for awhile. She didn't know how much longer she had and every moment she did she wanted spent with her baby. And Orion, when he was around.

The weaker she got, the more he was. Mirajane could tell though that that wasn't any fun for him. He was young. It wasn't fair to waste his youth on sitting around the house with her, recanting old stories and memories, forcing him to help her tend to his younger sister. She didn't want him to resent any missed opportunities because of her.

He felt the exact opposite. He could tell, even though he didn't like to think about it, that the time was short. Orion loved his mother and the worst part of it all was watching her deteriorate. Maybe even worse than knowing that he caused it.

Not that he liked the idea of a curse, but it wasn't like he could escape it either. Since Laxus planted it in his brain, it had only festered. Of course, he could never be for certain, but what in life was?

It had been such an insurmountable loss, losing the Master the way he had, but his mother… He couldn't even fathom it. She was all he had. She'd always been all he had.

But she was insistent that that wasn't true. He had his aunts and uncle and all of Fairy Tail, really. And, she was always quick to say, he'd always have Laxus. He might not want him, he might never again, but he was always there.

"One day, Ori," she'd whisper to him when they were alone. "You'll wish that you gave him a second chance. He never did any of this to hurt you. He couldn't even stay away from you. Even now he can't. Please, the only thing I want now is for the two of you to come together. To be together. Please."

"Don't talk like that," he'd grumbled back. "The only thing you want. You have a thousand wants. And you have years to get them all done. So don't say otherwise."

But she didn't. And, when Mirajane reached the pinnacle of her sickness, Orion could hardly stand to see her. At the same time, however, he couldn't stand to leave her. He was certain that most everyone felt that way. All of her friends visited frequently and her siblings hardly ever left the house. Laxus, well, he was just as stoic as ever, but Mira told Orion that was because he was hurt. Crushed. He felt like he'd caused it all.

"He did," Orion hissed under his breath once. "He- Hey!"

He was sitting at her bedside as his younger sister sat in their mother's lap, but that didn't stop Mirajane from reaching over and slapping his cheek, if only slightly.

"Don't say that," she told him harshly with a frown. It was hard to even stare her in the eyes anymore. If she'd been pale her entire life, she was almost ghastly then. And she couldn't keep any weight on. She hadn't been eating right in months. He couldn't fight with her at that point. He hadn't been able to in a long time. "Don't ever say that."

"But it's true," he insisted. "If he didn't then, well, I did."

"You've never done anything," she told him then. "I promise you. You've only ever made my life better. I love you."

And he hated it, every time she told him that because all he could do was worry that it would be the last time. Every time they talked he worried that it would be the last time. He didn't want any last times. He wanted forever.

But no one was granted that.

It finally came, not soon after that. His mother's passing. He hadn't cried that openly over something in years. It wasn't fair. How could you only ever have one person there for you your entire life and then lose them? What was he supposed to do?

What were any of them supposed to do?

He couldn't be in the house after that. Even though it had been his home since he was born, he couldn't stand the thought of staying in it. After all, with his mother gone, it didn't belong to the Strauss family anymore. It belonged to the Dreyars. Laxus and his sister. He wasn't one of them. And he refused to ever be associated with them.

He went to stay with Erza. She was nice enough. She'd let him stay there since the funeral and then afterwards. In her own weird, straight-forward way, she was very comforting. He could tell that all she wanted was for him to feel better, but he didn't think he ever would again.

It had been so horrible. Her funeral. He was supposed to stand with Laxus, but he couldn't. He couldn't be with any of them. He was mad at everyone. And it was worse than when Makarov had died because his mom wasn't there to explain it all away. Make it all better.

He'd been wrong before. He wasn't alone when the Master left him. But he was then. He figured he'd better just get used to it. Solitude. He'd be stuck in it for the rest of his life.

Not that Laxus felt any better. For something that he'd been avoiding, something he'd known was coming for years, Mira's death blindsided him. As if something had been taken from him and all he could do was watch it happen from behind glass.

There was the guild, for one, that he still had to run. And then there was Orion who, no matter how much he wasn't, felt orphaned and alone. Then, of course, there was his one-year-old daughter who just…cried constantly. He couldn't get away from it. Had she always been that loud? Or had he just not been listening before?

It felt selfish then. All of it did. Having Orion for starters, but then going back and having another child that he'd known would just be motherless in the end. It felt like he and Mira had only been thinking of themselves. And hadn't they? What was Laxus supposed to do with a child, all by himself? When he felt broken to begin with?

Lisanna kept the baby that first week as Laxus just laid around the house, not doing much. All those years of watching Mirajane raise Orion alone, he'd felt…cold. Alienated. But he hadn't been at all. He'd gotten the demon and the boy and everything had been perfect.

Why had he ever tried to have more? Now he really was alone. He didn't know the boy at all anymore and his daughter, well, what was he supposed to do? Mira had cut and run, but he was still there, with an unwinnable situation. How could he handle it all alone?

But then he reminded himself that that was exactly how Mira had felt, all those years. She'd been alone. Sidelined. But she'd figured it all out. He just had to figure it out. That was all.

Orion, however, was figuring a way out. He didn't want to be in Fairy Tail anymore. He didn't want Magnolia or his aunts or his uncle or anyone else. What had they done for him? Huh? Or his mother? He hated them all. More than he ever had before. They'd seen where everything was heading and had never stopped it.

Worst of all, it entered his mind at times that his mother was just as guilty. And wasn't she? Had she not ever pictured where things with Laxus would get them? Curse or no curse, she'd been the one to bring Orion into the world only to completely fuck his life up. And for what? Some stupid guy?

He hated her. He really did. Sometimes. When it was dark and he wanted her to sing to him or tell him a story or just that it would be okay. That's what everyone kept saying. That it would be okay.

But it wouldn't be. How could it be? When your entire life was shattered for, really, no reason at all?

By the third week, Erza told him that he should take a job.

"Not a hard one," she said as he sat at the kitchen table, head rested on it while he stared blankly at the plate of eggs she'd sat in front of him. "Just something to take your mind off things."

There wasn't a job big enough to take his mind off what he was going through. He had no friends, he had no mother, he didn't want the family he did have.

What was left? He'd accomplished his dream early, of being S-Class. He had no other aspirations. Though killing Laxus sounded nice, he'd never see that coming to fruition.

The only thing left for him in Magnolia, really, was his mother. Or at least a promise he'd made to her. He said that he'd always take care of his sister. She'd about cried to him that that was all she wanted from him. That and to be happy. Those two things. That even if it didn't work out with him and Laxus, even if they couldn't at least become friends, then she wanted him to at least love his sister. To take care of her.

And what could he say? Huh? Other than yes? Swear to it. He couldn't break the final promise he made with his mother, could he?

It wasn't fair. None of it was, of course, but that in particular. That she just got to leave all those expectations on him. He hadn't asked for a sister. He didn't want one. He didn't want a family. Not without her. How could he? She'd been his world for years. Forever. Now he was supposed to just forget her and move on? Stay in the same damn place that he'd seen her everyday, so that he could be haunted by her memory constantly?

The whole thing felt cruel. Like a sick, cruel joke. Everything he ever asked for, a father, Laxus, S-Class, all coming on him at once only for the most important thing in the world be taken from him as retribution. Equal carnage for the bitter rewards he'd reaped.

What had he ever done then? Huh? To life? That it would treat him that way? That it hated him so much? What?

He couldn't take it anymore. By the middle of the third week, he decided to just go. He didn't want to be there anymore. He didn't want to be anywhere near Magnolia. His mother's wishes be damned. He couldn't stand Laxus, he didn't want a sister, and hell, if she wasn't there, he didn't want any his family. It was an all or nothing deal.

Facing Erza though was a no go. He couldn't imagine telling her that he was leaving Fairy Tail. That she'd spent all that time training him so that he could just run for the hills when it got hard. That the thing that she loved more than anything was just a caustic sore in his mind that had caused him nothing, but pain.

That she'd failed. That they'd all failed. He couldn't handle other people. He wasn't any good at it. He wasn't his mother. And that he couldn't stand to think about her anymore.

So he left in the middle of the night. Packed up the few things he'd taken over to her place and set out. He never wanted to see that town again. And he never planned to. He'd go far. Maybe a whole other country. Never look back. The past was dead. He could survive on his own.

What other choice did he have?

But he couldn't just leave without seeing her one more time. Or, rather, going to her grave. His mother's. And the Master's. He had to see them. Just one more time. Tell them goodbye.

They were the only ones that deserved it.

The graveyard, understandably, was empty when he got there. It felt eerie too, though he was nearly certain that it had less to do with the dead and more to do with the church looming in the background.

Master's grave was where he went first. He wasn't sure what to say. A few years had passed since the man's death and he'd come to grips in with it along the way. Still, he only rested a hand over the stone and mumbled a prayer for his soul before moving onto his mother's.

He hated it too. Seeing it. Just the sight of the name Dreyar on the end of her name pissed him off. Because she wasn't one. She wasn't! She was a Strauss and so was he and they always had been and why would she ever let them think differently?

What had Laxus given them? Other than turmoil? Nothing! He was just a jerk. A pompous, idiotic jerk who bought his own rhetoric about how great he was. He was one of those damn slayers. Those stupid, cocky slayers with their damn kids that were never nice to Orion, why? What was so wrong with him, huh? What was so bad about him that no one ever wanted him? That no one ever wanted to be around him? Was he that horrible? That even his father didn't want him? And his mother would choose the man over him?

Was he?

Orion hadn't realized it until he felt the soft grass beneath his knees that he'd fallen to them. That he was sobbing. Again. He should have been out of tears by then. Why wasn't he out of tears? He felt so foolish, out there in the open, in the middle of the night, crying over his mother's grave.

He felt weak. And alone. But hadn't he always been? Weak? And alone? Why should then feel any different?

Somehow he lost hours out there. Just sobbing and mourning and feeling sorry for himself. It was pathetic. Something he'd look down on someone else for. Pity someone else for. But there he was doing it. Living it. He was worthless. He was utterly worthless.

No wonder Laxus had never wanted him.

And that was how he found himself, sitting there in the desolate place, not even with his mother's spirit it felt like, just completely isolated from the rest of the world, recalling a thousand memories as they flashed before his eyes. From his mother's smile to what she'd looked like in her casket, all intermingled with thoughts about Laxus and how, no matter what he said, it still hurt, it would always hurt, or that he wanted his aunts to know that even though he was leaving, even though he thought he'd hated them, he couldn't. He never would. Or his Uncle Elf. And Bickslow'd taught him a lot. Did he remember all he'd passed on to him? Because Orion did. He remembered it all. What about Erza? Did she get that she'd been put on the same shelf as his mother? That he loved her just as much? That she meant just as much? And what about the way that his sister would never know him, but what did Orion care? Huh? What difference did it make? What was she to him, but just another way that Laxus had taken his mother from him?

It was a shock to him, when the sun came up. He'd watched it, of course, the sky turn from it's darkness to light blues and then reds.

That, however, wasn't what disturbed him.

"What are you doing out here?"

It was Radic, actually. The older teen was out there, arms full of what looked like gardening supplies, standing over Orion. He only blinked up at him, eyes still filled with tears.

He hadn't seen the other teen recently other than at the funeral. Since the Master's, they'd both steered clear of one another. Radic was around less even than Orion. Honestly, as he was sitting there on his knees, it hit Orion that Radic probably wasn't even a teen anymore. He'd probably finally hit twenty. At least.

And they only stared at one another for a few minutes. Radic's red eyes dead as they stared at the overly emotional blues that Orion was sporting. Time seemed just as frozen for the younger of the two as it had the whole night.

"It's honestly sorry," Radic said after awhile. "That you're still out here crying over her."

Orion couldn't breathe. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to kill him. Murder him. And what better place? But he could only sit and stare.

"She's dead, dumbass." And then he was dropping those gardening supplies. "You think that she'd want you to sit out here for the rest of forever? Huh?"

The most astounding thing he did though was hold a hand out to Orion then. It had to be for the first time in their entire lives. For a moment, Orion wasn't going to take it. Then something crossed his mind, if only for a moment.

 _It's just a hand_.

Slowly, he reached out. And, when he did, Radic only held him in a vice like grip before pulling him stumbling to his feet.

"You should go home," the older of the two said after they stood there for a moment or so, awkwardly. "You-"

"I can't." And he hated it, the way his voice broke. But Orion couldn't help it. Hell, if he could, there's no way he wouldn't have. "I just can't."

"Of course you can," Radic grumbled then, still just staring him in the eyes. They hadn't had that much eye contact in, really, ever. "If you can sit around in a dank cemetery, I'm sure you can brave your own house."

When Orion shook his head, Radic only looked off and sighed. It was clear that he just didn't know what to do with the other guy. That was all. Radic didn't care about him. Of course not. Orion wasn't foolish enough to think that. But it was just like it'd been that day when he was sitting on the cot and Orion had the upper hand. No matter how cutthroat they were with one another, how ruthless, when it was over, it was over.

And it was over.

"Look," the dark headed one tried once more. "Your old man ain't doin' so well. And I get that you hate him. I hate mine. But if he was in as bad a shape as yours was, I'd at least go be around him some. I mean, what do you have left?"

Orion just stared for a moment before saying, "What difference does it make to you?"

"Well, for one, I ain't exactly his favorite person over at the hall," he pointed out. "And I don't think I'll be yours. He starts gettin' these crazy ideas in his head about havin' you like him and kicks me out to help that along, I don't think my pops'll be too happy with me."

"He's an asshole."

"Yeah." Radic even nodded. "But it don't stop you none from wanting to please him, does it? Least it never has me."

And, with that, Radic held out his hand again. That time though, it was just to reach over and punch the other boy in the arm. It stung. He hadn't held back. Then again, he never had.

"Come on," he said as he turned then to walk off. "I gotta head down that way anyways."

That was a lie. There was no way that it wasn't. Radic had clearly been heading to the cemetery to do maintenance or something. He'd have no reason to leave.

But he walked with Orion across town anyways. And it made no sense. Any of it. Did the other guy feel…pity? Or had he changed? Granted, they'd never been close and even less so over the past few years, but change just didn't seem to be something he went for so easily.

And it wasn't. As they went along, Radic grumbled out over the silence what exactly he was doing out in the cemetery.

It was community service of sorts. He'd had a rough couple of two years as well, it seemed. His temperament out on jobs had not been appreciated by local villages and they'd written to the guild. That on top of some property damage he'd done around Magnolia left the Master with a very stern warning. Shape up or ship out.

For some reason, Radic didn't seem to like the latter.

Orion always figured he'd do better with another guild, perhaps even a dark one, where his violent tendencies would be appreciated, but Radic didn't seem to see it that way.

"I've only ever lived here," he admitted quietly at one point, as they walked along in the early morning streets. "I don't have anywhere else to go. All I have is my mother and father."

The words sounded so cowardly, but Orion returned the same sentiment. They were brought up in the guild. And even though he'd been ready to leave before, many times actually, the thought was petrifying. The unknown was, well, unknown. And what happened to you out there held the same name.

"So they told me, the city, that if I couldn't pay to fix the shit I've wrecked, then I owed them," Radic finished. "Big. Now I'm stuck with stupid duties like trash clean up after parades and other shit like that. The worst is tending to the local graveyards. I hate it. It's too damn creepy. And I'm supposed to go out there early in the morning, around dawn. You know, when no one else is around. So no one sees me or whatever." Then he snickered. It sounded so much like the man that he hated that it was almost creepy to Orion. Gihi. Gihi. Did he sound like Laxus when he laughed? He hoped not. "'cept now I guess I gotta go earlier. Huh? Beat out people like you."

Orion didn't know why he walked all that way with Radic. Maybe it was his exhaustion. His mind was mush and he had no choice anyhow. It was either that or be the loser in the graveyard with tearstained cheeks, mumbling to himself incoherently.

He felt odd, too, when they finally got to his house. He and Radic just stood there for a moment or two, staring up at it. The place looked the same. But it sure didn't feel the same.

Had he not cried so much before, Orion might have started tearing up again.

"Well," Radic grumbled finally. "I got some graves and flowers to tend to, yeah?"

Slowly, Orion swallowed before nodding. And even though he didn't speak, Radic still glanced at him.

"It ain't the same without her," he said softly then as he turned to walk off. "And it never will be again. So you just gotta find a new same to look forward to. Even if it sucks ass."

And he knew that was the closest to a condolence he'd ever get from the other guy, so he left it at that. The next time they saw one another, Orion knew it would be different. They'd be back to either avoidance or pure hatred. Even though he reviled the other guy immensely, he hoped that the situation was never reversed.

He truly didn't wish what he was feeling on anyone.

Not even Radic.

The door was unlocked when he got to it. And, pushing in, Orion wasn't ready for what he saw.

He'd never seen Laxus cry before. Honest, he hadn't. Not at Makarov's funeral or his mother's. Never. But there he was, lying on the living room floor, openly doing so.

It wasn't sobs. It hadn't been for the past few days. In fact, the night before, he'd gotten through it without a single tear.

But something hit him that morning, as he lay on the living room floor, trying to play with his daughter, but failing miserably. She was just happily sitting there, next to her father, enjoying her blocks in the oblivious way that only someone so young could possess.

If staring at Radic had been hard, looking Laxus in the eyes then was worse. They were bloodshot and he looked miserable. Orion hated that he looked that miserable. It completely destroyed the desperate opinion that he wanted to keep of the man. As some sort of villain that had not only taken his mother from him, but been the direct cause of her death.

Laxus looked just as devastated as Orion. Just in different ways. He hadn't shaved, didn't look like he'd showered, and, honestly, didn't smell all that great. The past few weeks had been just as hellish for him, after all. As much as Orion didn't like to admit it, he'd lost someone too.

They all had. Not just him.

The first thing that the man took notice of, Orion was sure, was that he had his bag with him. He had to think that he was coming home. Not realizing that he'd been planning on skipping town without a word. He must have thought that he'd come back to him. That he wanted him.

But he didn't. No way did he. Because he didn't need Laxus. He didn't want Laxus. He wanted his mother. All he'd ever wanted was his mother. Why hadn't he only just wanted his mother? Huh? Why had he ever longed for a father? When all having one did was burn him?

Laxus just lay there too, on his stomach, as he watched the front door. Orion was still half out it, as if the sight of his father had shocked him. And it kind of had, honestly.

The biggest surprise, though, was that it was still there. Underneath it all, it was still tugging. All of it. He just wanted his hero back. His idol.

Why couldn't he have that?

Because it had been obliterated. His entire opinion of the man had been so darkened that there was no way to rectify it. None.

Laxus knew that. He knew that he could never make it up to him. Any of it. No matter how much he wanted to. And it just wasn't for Mira's sake. It never had been. He just wanted his boy back.

Why couldn't _he_ have _that_?

It took a bit for Orion to slowly come into the house, the door closing behind him. And Laxus could only stare as, slowly, he came closer.

"I was gonna leave."

The man blinked before, slowly, nodding. He didn't speak though.

"But I can't." And, slowly, he dropped his bag as well as took off his quiver, leaving his bow down on the ground as well. "I just can't."

If Radic was confusing that day, Orion felt completely disconcerting. What was he doing? He didn't even know. His words were just as much new to him as they were to Laxus.

"I told Mom that I wouldn't. And I won't break a promise to her just because she's not here." He moved then to lay down on the ground with his sister as well then. The baby grinned at him and made a noise of recognition before going right back what she was doing. "I won't leave Makaria just because you're here. I don't care that you're here. She's mine too."

The child made no glance at her name. She didn't usually. It was more for meaning and the connections that it held that it was chosen. Laxus and Mira had always called her by her nickname, Snow. That was what his mother said that she reminded her of, when she came out with that white tuff of hair and it just stuck. It used to make Laxus and Mira giggle to call her that.

Orion usually didn't call her much of anything.

"I know," Laxus whispered as he lay there, staring over at his son. He wasn't sure what else to do.

"I love her."

And Laxus took a breath then, glancing at the baby before back at the teen.

"Yeah," he whispered. "I do too."

Orion refused to look at him then, as he just kept staring at his younger sister. She looked happy. He wanted to be happy.

"I loved my mother."

And that was whispered. As it was hard for him to make that past tense. Was it supposed to be? Because he still loved her. He always would. Whether she was there or not.

"I loved her too, Orion. So much."

He thought that he was done crying. He should have been done crying. But the teen felt his body heave and, though no tears came out, Laxus saw it and knew what he was feeling. Swallowing then, the slayer paused, before adding softly,

"I love you."

It wasn't immediate, but then again, nothing would be from that point. There was years of mistrust and misplaced anger to be dealt with. Many more truth and confessions to come out. It would take years.

But Laxus had years. And he hoped that Orion was willing to hand over some of his as well.

He was still heaving, Orion was. It all felt like too much. And it was. There was just so much. How was he supposed to deal with all that? It all swirled around inside of him constantly. It had been his mother that always figured it out for him. Took all the muddled thoughts and put them in their proper places, separated and restored them. He couldn't do it alone. He didn't know how.

The baby glanced over at him then, the sounds he was making catching her attention. And it killed him, looking at her. Thinking about her. Thinking about anything, really. All of it was just so messed up.

Turning his head down, Orion shut his eyes tightly as it slipped out. His whole life was in shambles and he couldn't contain it anymore. Because hidden behind all the resentment, tumult, and strife the man had caused him, it still remained true. He didn't think it ever wouldn't be.

"I love you too."

And it sounded so pained, the way that he said it, that Laxus could only sit there for a moment, unsure of what to do. He wasn't a comforter. He didn't deal with crying. Maybe for his baby, but not for someone else. What was he supposed to do with Orion, as he laid there heaving, his voice strained as if he were dying?

He did the only thing that crossed his mind. He sat up on his knees and crossed the tiny space. And, when Orion lifted up, he moved to wrap his arms around him for the first time possibly ever.

Maybe it was what he should have been doing from the beginning. Holding him. Because it worked, if only for that moment. Orion clung to him and Laxus felt warm in a way he didn't think he would again.

"I know," he sighed as the boy continued to sob. "I've always known."

Orion would never get his hero back. But, if he wanted, and if they both worked at it, he could get Laxus back. Maybe not how he had him, not the way he wanted him, but it was the same on the slayer's side. The relationship they'd had before was fragmented. It would never be whole again. But they could piece what they could back together and, really, that was all Laxus wanted.

It was what Mira would have wanted. And, though neither would be doing it for her, both would admit that the thought alone made them at least somewhat happy.

But it wouldn't happen that day. Or the next. The whole month was shot. Maybe the year. Orion wasn't even sure if he could really live there with them, Snow and Laxus.

He could visit though. It'd always be his house. And Laxus promised that his room would always be his. It was his home. Above all else.

And it wasn't like the indignation was gone. Because it wasn't. He still hated Laxus. A big part of him did. Blamed him. Still though, he'd admitted it, not only to himself, but to the man in question, that he loved him. That floated to the top. It always would.

How could it not?

Laxus would wait for it to pass. As long as it took. Orion was just one of the tiny pieces of Mira that he still had. And, more than that, he was his son. He'd always been his son. Curse or no curse, he'd always loved the boy. With or without Mirajane.

It didn't make the crying jags stop. Didn't put Orion's mind at ease. Didn't stop keeping Laxus up at night, worrying about it. But, in that moment and many more to come later, it mended that moment. Because Orion was his boy. And Laxus was all he'd ever wanted for so long.

He had him then. Whether he liked it or not.

When they pulled back then though, from that awkward hug they were locked in, they both only stared at one another. Laxus was waiting for the boy to blow up at him again, but it didn't come. And Orion was waiting for the pain to wash away, but it never would.

So they just sat there on their knees, watching the other.

"P'ay?"

It was the sound of Snow talking though that made them both glance over at her, staring at her for a moment in shock, as if they'd forgotten she was there. Maybe they had.

Things weren't just about them though. Mira had left them both with the one thing that would bind them forever. A part of her that wouldn't be going away.

And, though it was more of with a grimace than a smile, Orion moved to lie back down and pick up one of her dolls for her, shaking it in the baby's face. She loved this, of course, and giggled loudly. Laxus sat there, watching, as his chest panged and he worried that he'd gone too far. Hugging him.

Had he just wrecked everything?

But then Orion was looking up at him and his eyes weren't full of hatred. Just normal, bloodshot eyes.

Voice hoarse, he whispered, "Aren't you going to play?"

It was his own turn to lie back down. Nodding all the while, he promised them both, "Always. I mean it, Orion. Always."

Even though he didn't want to and only hours before he wouldn't have, Orion believed him.

They loved one another. Always.

* * *

 **That's the end for this installment, but, like all the other long stories, it's not the end of this series. They're probably be a couple of one-shots dealing with the aftermath of this story and later a little five chapter story covering what happened between the 9** **th** **and 10** **th** **chapter gap. Right now though I have a few other things to finish up before I mess with this story again (I write knowing that I'll probably end up tacking on to it in the coming weeks), so I guess that's it for A Dragon's Love. I enjoyed it. For something that I wasn't even sure if I should post when I first started it, I'm really pleased.**


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